The launching ceremony in Jinan.[Photo by Wang Qian/chinadaily.com.cn]

A launching ceremony themed "Hometown of Confucius, Shandong China" was held in the city of Jinan, Shandong province, to collect Shandong’s historical and cultural resources on Sept 15.

Li Jianjun, deputy director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Shandong Provincial Party Committee, delivered a speech. Wang Shinong, director of the Information Office of Shandong, presided over the launching ceremony.

Seventy people – including journalists from China’s key news media, famous bloggers, photographers, commentators and foreigners from the USA, South Korea, Japan and Indonesia – will collect information about the 10 historical and cultural cities in Shandong in the next five days in order to display Shandong’s experience in historical and cultural inheritance.

Li said that the activity is expected to enhance the public’s awareness of protecting our country’s historical and cultural resources, and create a harmonious co-development relationship between the city’s development and the protection of history and culture.

The cultural industry in Shandong, including museums, cultural relics sites, and protection of cultural relics administrations, attracts a total of 57.35 million visitors a year, receiving revenue of up to 1.1 billion yuan ($179.11 million).

Li Li, deputy director-general of the Shandong Provincial Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development; Hu Shangshan, deputy director-general of the Shandong Provincial Department of Culture; and You Shangping, deputy director of the Shandong Provincial Administration of Cultural Heritage, attended the ceremony.

Wang Qian contributed to the story