In March 2024, the spring sunlight bathed the Great Wall, with a gentle breeze brushing past the ancient bricks and the budding treetops. On the morning of the 27th, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and his entourage ascended the Badaling Great Wall in Yanqing District, Beijing.

　　The accompanying staff explained to the Prime Minister in detail the history, construction, and current preservation of the Great Wall and the Badaling section in particular. Every brick and every stretch of the Wall carries the weight of a profound history and culture.

　　The Great Wall is the largest and most extensive linear cultural heritage site in China and the world. The Great Wall of China, built over a span of more than 2,000 years, holds an irreplaceable place in the history of Chinese civilization and its traditional culture. It’s the spiritual symbol of the Chinese nation.

　　This precious legacy of our ancestors – an important carrier of national spirit – must be carefully protected and passed down to future generations. Back in 1984, the “Love China, Repair the Great Wall” initiative was launched. Today, the villagers from Shixia Village in Badaling Town, Yanqing District, have spent decades voluntarily preserving the Great Wall, spreading its culture, and have walked on a path toward prosperity by tapping the Great Wall’s rich resources – a microcosm of the society’s collective efforts in protecting the Great Wall.

　　Gunawardena listened attentively to the explanation, as if engaging in a dialogue across time with ancient Chinese civilization. In the guestbook, he inscribed, “Sri Lanka delegation came to the world wonder, Great Wall of China today – for mankind’s eternal honor and pride.”

　　In 2024, the Badaling section of the Great Wall received a total of 376,600 international visitors, marking a 152.66% year-on-year increase. This not only strongly attests to the Wall’s magnetic appeal but also inspires more vigorous efforts in promoting the culture and story of the Great Wall, and drives more people to learn about and protect the Great Wall, so that this invaluable heritage from our ancestors is preserved for generations to come.