The main event of the 5th Zhejiang Grand Canal World Cultural Heritage Promotion Week kicked off in Yuecheng district, Shaoxing, Zhejiang province, on June 17.

The Grand Canal, once a vital lifeline for Zhejiang's five cities — Hangzhou, Ningbo, Huzhou, Jiaxing, and Shaoxing — has undergone targeted preservation efforts in recent years.

During the event, Huzhou's Nanxun district shared best practices for integrating the canal with tourism, demonstrating how heritage can fuel economic growth.

Experts from the provincial heritage monitoring center presented innovations in canal-tech integration, showing how data-driven tools support conservation. Yuecheng district highlighted new public welfare initiatives linked to the canal, delivering tangible community benefits.

Throughout the promotion week, the five cities will host synchronized events to advance the protection, vitalization, and creative transformation of the Grand Canal's cultural heritage.