On the morning of September 23rd, Academic Activities for the 40th Anniversary of International Research and Training Center on Erosion and Sedimentation (hereinafter referred to as IRTCES) was held in Beijing. IRTCES is the first category II center established by UNESCO in the world. The theme of the meeting was “Work Together to Build a Clean and Beautiful World”. Mr. Li Liangsheng, Vice Minister of Water Resources of P.R. China, and Mr. Siddharth Chatterjee, United Nations Resident Coordinator in China, attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches. Ms. Lidia Brito, Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences of UNESCO, delivered a speech through video. Ms. Peng Jing, Director General of the IRTCES and President of China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research (IWHR), presided over the meeting and summarized. 

Li Liangsheng pointed out in his speech that after 40 years of development, the IRTCES has become a communication and cooperation platform with strong professional strength and great influence in the international sediment research field, and has laid a leading position, making important contributions to the development and progress of world sediment science. As a world leader in the field of sedimentation, IRTCES is expected to further fulfill its leading role in the field of international sedimentation and as a UNESCO category II center in accordance with the requirements of UNESCO and the Chinese Government, and to continue to support the realization of the objectives of the strategic plan of the ninth phase of IHP of UNESCO, and make new and greater contributions to solving the global water security problems and building a community of human destiny! To make new and greater contributions to solve the common global water security problems and building a global community for a shared future! 

Siddharth Chatterjee expressed his congratulations on the 40th anniversary of the IRTCES, emphasizing that this milestone event represents decades of global cooperation to address the most serious environmental challenges. As a leader in the field of sedimentation, the IRTCES has been at the forefront of sediment management and has become a model for global international cooperation, providing experts and contributions to research and capacity building in the field of erosion and sedimentation management worldwide. It looked forward to continuing to capitalize on existing knowledge and partnerships to contribute to a more secure and sustainable future. 

Lidia Brito pointed out that the IRTCES is the first UNESCO category II center established in 1984 and a role model for the 29 water-related category II centers that have been established in other parts of the world, and plays an important role in promoting the sustainable management of soil and sediment resources locally, regionally and globally, among other aspects. She thanked the Chinese Government for its long-term and fruitful cooperation with UNESCO and looked forward to further deepening cooperation with Chinese scientists. 

Representatives from the UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia, the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO, the International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research (IAHR), the International Sediment Initiative, and the UNESCO category II water-related centers, and UNESCO Chairs made exchanges. More than 150 participants from more than 20 countries and regions attended the meeting.