A World War II haven for Jewish refugees in the Tilanqiao area of Shanghai may well become a World Heritage Site.

Around 120 former Jewish refugees and their descendants gathered for an emotional ceremony in the city's Huoshan Park on Thursday afternoon to call on the United Nations to list the area as a World Heritage Site. The refugees were in the city at the invitation of the local government.

Gathering at a monument to Jewish refugees in the park they signed a proposal calling on the UN's educational, science and cultural organization, UNESCO, to ensure the area is preserved by granting it heritage status.

"I used to play here, go to school here -- I love this area and I love the people here," Jehuda Menczel, 70, who lived in Tilanqiao from 1939 to 1949, was quoted as saying by the local Shanghai Daily.

The chemistry professor was among more than 30,000 Jewish refugees who fled Europe to seek asylum in Shanghai during the World War II. Shanghai was one of the last cities to accept Jewish refugees during the war.

"The Tilanqiao area, our second hometown, has special significance for the survival of European Jewish refugees," states the proposal.

Many of the refugees broke into tears during the highly emotional ceremony.

According to Pan Guang, an expert in Jewish culture at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Tilanqiao also qualifies for the title, World War Heritage Site, which is also conferred by UNESCO.

"If successful it would become China's first war heritage site," Pan said. He noted that Hongkou District, in which Tilanqiao is located, is considering applying for the title.

He said a senior official from UNESCO visited Tilanqiao two months ago and strongly supported the proposal.

Pan said in order to apply for war heritage site status the city and district governments required to document the area's history. District officials said they plan to start renovation of infrastructure in the area this year.

The city government has identified an area of 28 hectares which is of significant historical interest and combines Jewish and Chinese culture.

(Xinhua News Agency April 28, 2006)