The Cittaslow International Assembly 2024 was held in Italy's Città Sant'Angelo recently. At the meeting, Shuangpo Town in Shuangpai County, Hunan Province was awarded the title of "Cittaslow" by the Cittaslow International Alliance Headquarters. Shuangpo Town is the 15th region in China and the first in Hunan to receive this recognition.
Cittaslow, or International Slow Town status, is based on a novel urban development model that was put forth in Bra, Italy. This model emphasizes the need to find a way to construct modern communities that integrate traditional lifestyles with modern technology. As of June 2023, there are 291 international slow towns in 33 countries and regions. Shuangpai Shuangpo International Slow Town is composed of 5 villages: Liangcun, Jiangxi, Youli, Shabeidian, and Xiadeng, covering an area of 20.3 square kilometers with a total population of 14,000.
Shuangpo Town started the application process for the construction of a Cittaslow in 2016. Over the past 8 years, Shuangpai County has aligned its efforts with strategies, including targeted poverty alleviation, rural revitalization, and wetland park management. The county has strengthened contacts with the China Cittaslow International Gaochun Headquarters, and actively promoted the establishment of "Shuangpo Cittaslow" by focusing on green industries, including slow tourism, slow sports, slow travel, and slow food.
The county has implemented 13 projects in the Cittaslow area, including:
-- investing 108.8 million yuan in transportation upgrades, and the improvement of living environment and residential water supply;
-- implementing the 10-year fishing ban in the Yangtze River basin and illegal sand mining crackdown in Riyue Lake;
-- publicizing Cittaslow idea through lectures and videos; and,
-- developing scenic areas, tourist sites, and agricultural industries to help local people increase income.
These efforts have well protected and inherited the county's cultural heritage, including harmony culture, farming culture, and wetland culture. Next, Shuangpai County will continue to promote the integrated development of Cittaslow and rural revitalization, striving to create Hunan's first international cittaslow leisure and experience area, so as to constantly enhance people's sense of happiness and fulfillment.
Picturesque rural scenery of Liangcun Village.
Yuehu Wetland at Shuangpo Town, Shuangpai County.
This article is from the Hunan Provincial Government www.enghunan.gov.cn.
Translator: Xiao Juan
Chinese source: hunantoday; official WeChat account of Hunan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism
