Heritage in Asia : converging forces, conflicting values

ln 2010 the city of Shanghai hosted the largest, most spectacular and most expensive World's Fair ever. The Shanghai Expo attracted a staggering 70 million visitors, ensuring China and the host city remained in the global spotlight for the six-month duration of the event. Costing around US $45 billion, and with its theme of Better City, Better Life, the Expo was held in a country experiencing a level of urban growth unparalleled in history. With more than half of the world's population now living in cities, many of which face uncertain futures, this mega event confronted the multitude of challenges now converging on the all-pervasive notion of'sustainability'. To this end, 190 countries, more than fifty non-governmental organisations, and a variety of multi-national institutions involved in urban governance addressed such issues.