Global mayors gather at the 2026 Global Mayors Dialogue in Luoyang, Henan province, to explore the balance between embracing modern progress and preserving centuries-old heritage. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Global mayors gathered at the 2026 Global Mayors Dialogue in Luoyang, Henan province, to explore the balance between embracing modern progress and preserving heritage.
The dialogue focused on the intersection of legacy and modernity, culture and economy, and tradition and innovation.
Robbie Rodiss, chairman of Durham County Council in the United Kingdom, shared Durham's approach to integrating ancient roots with modern vitality.
"In our city's practice, we have always integrated ancient heritage into modern life," he said. "We transform historic sites for the public, renovate urban blocks into fertile grounds for cultural and industrial innovation, and enable world heritage resources to coexist and thrive with modern urban life."
Zhang Yujie, mayor of Luoyang, said the city's development strategy is based on protection as the foundation, activation as the path, and innovation as the driving force.
"Luoyang is actively promoting cultural digitization, showcasing its effective exploration of activating ancient culture through modern technology," Zhang said.
Nachida Belheouane, deputy governor of Algiers province in Algeria, discussed how Algiers has restored historical monuments using digital technologies and developed tourism around the millennia-old Casbah of Algiers.
"We have constantly been contemplating how to preserve our city's cultural heritage while infusing it with new contemporary significance, particularly amid the current wave of digitalization," she said.
"In addition, we achieve this by respecting our historical roots while keeping up with modern-day social and economic demands," she added.
Di Stefano Roberto, mayor of Sesto San Giovanni, Italy, emphasized the importance of cultural investment for urban prosperity. By linking cultural clusters with commercial districts, the city boosts employment and fuels economic growth.
"Looking at these stone carvings here, I feel I am living through history. This is art, this is history, this is culture," he said at the Longmen Grottoes.
He also shared his views on how cultural exchanges can bring cities closer together and how historic cities can strike a balance between preserving their heritage and meeting the needs of modern development.
On Saturday afternoon, officials and guests visited YTO Group Corp, participating in immersive test drives of intelligent Dongfanghong tractors.
"It drives just like a car," Julio Cesar Zamora, mayor of Tigre, Argentina, said after his test drive. He noted the intelligent farm machinery was uncommon across Latin America, highlighting the tractor's intuitive controls and robust performance.
He added that the visit underscored Luoyang's strong high-end equipment manufacturing industry and expressed hope for deeper bilateral cooperation in modern agriculture and agricultural machinery technology.
John Mahu Macharia, director of trade, investment and industrialization in Kenya's Nakuru county, said modern Chinese manufacturing has delivered eco-friendly solutions in Africa.
He plans to introduce Luoyang's advanced agricultural machinery and technology to boost local agricultural modernization.
Dongfanghong tractors have steadily expanded into global markets for decades, with products shipped to dozens of countries and regions.
The brand has established overseas assembly lines in Africa, building a comprehensive global layout covering product sales, technology transfer, and industrial chain cooperation.
Liang Jipeng, director of the Luoyang Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, and Tourism, highlighted cross-border cultural exchanges through the city's "peony diplomacy" with Italy, planting the peony in a city in Italy, symbolizing city-to-city connections.
"We sent a batch of peony seedlings in 2025. They set off from Luoyang to take root in Italy. The following spring, Luoyang peonies bloomed brilliantly in front of an ancientItalian castle," Liang said.
