To commemorate the second anniversary of its UNESCO World Heritage designation, Quanzhou launched the "Traditional Architecture in New Vibe" Sustainable Livelihood Pilot Initiative on 25 July 2023. Coinciding with the 2023 Quanzhou World Heritage Day, the Quanzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, and Tourism, in collaboration with The Paper, also introduced a global outreach campaign: "I Love Quanzhou: A Creative Communication Contest for the World Heritage City."

　　The campaign presents six thematic categories—World Heritage Personalities, Routes, Sounds, Songs, Gifts, and Stories—aimed at showcasing Quanzhou's rich cultural legacy to global audiences. By curating and promoting these lists worldwide, the initiative seeks to attract more visitors, deepen public engagement with heritage values, and support Quanzhou's development as a model city for World Heritage conservation and innovative cultural revitalisation.

　　At the launch ceremony, officials announced that from 2023 to 2024, Quanzhou will partner with the UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office for East Asia to implement six sub-projects under three core themes: the transmission of intangible cultural heritage, intercultural exchange, and youth heritage education.

　　In his keynote address, Mayor Cai Zhansheng emphasised that the recognition of "Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan China" as a UNESCO World Heritage Site—and now as the fifth pilot location in UNESCO's "China World Heritage Site Protection and Management" programme—was both an honour and a profound responsibility. He pledged to enhance heritage conservation, promote creative reinterpretation, and enable sustainable cultural development to ensure the ancient city continues to thrive in the modern era.

　　In a video message, Dr. Shahbaz Khan, Director of the UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office for East Asia, commended Quanzhou's long-standing cultural depth. He described the new pilot as a fresh perspective on heritage protection and sustainability. UNESCO will collaborate with the Palace Museum and Quanzhou to safeguard architectural heritage while bridging it with intangible practices, encouraging regional cooperation across East and Southeast Asia. Quanzhou is also set to play a central role in the upcoming second round of Sino-German cultural dialogue. Dr. Khan highlighted the importance of heritage education among youth, especially as the world celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. He positioned the initiative as a model for culture-led urban sustainability.

　　Quanzhou's World Heritage property includes 22 representative sites and their surrounding cultural environments. In an interview with The Paper, a senior scholar from the School of Archaeology and Museology at Peking University advised enhancing public awareness of these sites and curating new thematic routes to encourage visits to lesser-known locations. As part of the campaign, the "World Heritage Routes" category will identify accessible and user-friendly itineraries, enriching the visitor experience and deepening engagement with local heritage.

　　These initiatives aim to amplify Quanzhou's cultural voice on the global stage, promoting dialogue, exchange, and appreciation of its millennia-old legacy.

　　The 2023 Quanzhou World Heritage Day and the "Traditional Architecture in New Vibe" pilot project are jointly organised by the UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office for East Asia, the Fujian Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, the Fujian Provincial Bureau of Cultural Heritage, and the Quanzhou Municipal Government, under the guidance of China ICOMOS. The Mercedes-Benz Star Fund, as a special sponsor, supports the integration of cultural and biological diversity at World Heritage sites, advancing the harmonious coexistence of nature and culture and strengthening mutual understanding between China and the international community.