During the 2025 Maritime Silk Road Urban Cooperation and Development Conference and the International Travel Agents Conference, which opened for the second time in Wenzhou on Nov 19, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture Ernesto Ottone Ramirez delivered a video address.
Ottone highlighted the Maritime Silk Road as a historic bridge of trade and cultural exchange, noting that Wenzhou — as an ancient maritime hub — embodies enduring openness and connectivity. He praised the city's systematic work in heritage protection, culture–tourism integration, and sustainable development, describing Wenzhou as becoming a truly "global Wenzhou".
This marks UNESCO's second public commendation of the city within half a month. Earlier, on Nov 3, UNESCO sent a certificate from Paris acknowledging Wenzhou's commitment to safeguarding traditional heritage
