From 15 to 18 November 2010, as a member of APA China Team, DLAI was invited to visit Shuozhou city in Shanxi Province by the City Government,director of APA international & outreach department, Director of International Council of Heritage & Sites American branch, FAICP, Jeffrey Soule led the team and our team observed the preparation of application of world heritage for Sakya Pagoda in Buhha Place Temple(Ying County Wooden Pagoda) and Shouzhou downtown development.

      Mr Shi Lianxiu of Shanxi Provincial Bureau of Cultural Relics, Mrs Feng Gaiduo of Shuozhou City Mayor, Lei Jianguo and Wang Guiping of City deputy Mayors, Wang Shoulin of the party secretary of Ying County,Zhang Yuru of the deputy mayor and the relevant department heads accompanied our team.

      Shuozhou City and Ying County declared APA China’s team’s visit and the advisory meeting is the marking of the official start of application of world heritage of Sakya Pagoda in Buddha Palace Temple.APA signed MOU with Shuozhou City government; collaboration will be in three areas:

      1. APA provides advisory services of urban planning and urban development for Shuozhou Municipal People's Government;

      2. APA provides advisory services of protections of culture relics and the application of world heritage of Sakya Pagoda in Buddha Palace Temple.

      3. APA provides training programs of urbanization for Shuozhou Municipal People's Government.

      Sakya Pagoda in Buddha Palace Temple.was firstly built in Qingning 2nd year of Liao Dynasty (AD 1056), which is the tallest, oldest wooden pagoda existing in the world and it is one of the first national key protection units of cultural relics. It was honored as "the Art Museum of China brackets." by renowned architect Liang Sicheng.