World's cultural policy makers set to work on preservation of traditional culture in face of fast modernization, according to the 7th Annual Ministerial Meeting of International Network on Cultural Policy (INCP) which was opened in Shanghai Friday.

Around 150 delegates from 38 countries, including ministerial level officials and observers in charge of cultural affairs, as well as representatives from international organizations like UNESCO and UNDP, are attending the meeting.

Chinese Minister of Culture Sun Jiazheng said political multi-polarization and globalization add something new to the traditional cultures.

Traditionally cultural diversity is under threat not only in developing countries, but also in developed countries, said Cuban Minister of Culture Abel Prieto Jimenez.

Norway's Minister of Culture Valgerd Syarstad Haugland said modernization is a good way to innovate traditional culture for most developed countries. However, developing countries cannot enjoy the benefits of modernization in this regard due to imbalanced world economy and political circumstance.

Indian Minister of Information, Broadcasting and Culture Jaipal Reddy said culture is seeing unprecedented changing speed and challenge under the globalization, but the traditional part of it is facing a fast decline.

To protect traditional culture, he said, we should have them closely linked to common people's daily life, and let people rediscover the meaning of traditional culture to their modern life.

Vietnamese Minister of Culture and Information Pham Ouang Nghi pointed out that international cooperation in the field should be strengthened due to similarities in protection efforts by different countries.

(Xinhua News Agency October 16, 2004)