聚焦世界运河大会｜IWI前主席执行总编 WCCO专家顾问大卫•爱德华兹•梅：要告诉世界世界运河大会在中国举办能让人收获更多|世界运河大会|中国|大运河|桂林|爱德华兹•梅|董明|顾问

大运河传媒讯（董明徐蓉发自广西桂林）10月15日，2026年世界运河大会在广西桂林闭幕。大会由桂林市委、市政府联合自治区交通运输厅、内河航道国际组织（IWI）共同主办。这是世界运河大会第三次在中国举办，2012年、2019年在扬州召开。内河航道国际组织（IWI）前主席、执行总编，世界运河历史文化城市合作组织（WCCO）专家顾问大卫·爱德华兹·梅接受大运河传媒专访时说，扬州和桂林这两座城市对我而言都意义特别。它们各有特色，对我来说意义各不相同，但都深深浸润在中国的文化与历史之中。我们了解到，早在2200年前，桂林就是长江流域和珠江流域交汇的枢纽；而扬州，则是大运河的原点城市。一条京杭大运河从南到北，连接了杭州与北京。On October 15, 2026 World Canals Conferences wrapped up in Guilin, Guangxi. David Edwards May, Former President & Executive EIC of IWI and Expert Advisor to WCCO, gave an exclusive interview to Grand Canal Media,both these cities are very special to me, both Yangzhou and Guilin, for very different characteristics, different reasons, but both are so deeply immersed in the culture, the history of China as a nation. We saw that Guilin is at the center of the bringing together of the Yangtze and the Pearl River basins 2,200 years ago, just as Yangzhou is the mother city of the Grand Canal, Hangzhou, Beijing.

对于关注内河航道、内河航运，以及它们的历史与未来的人来说，这两座城市都格外出彩。我很喜欢扬州之行，桂林毫无疑问也是世界级的旅游目的地。不过，有一样东西我希望在扬州能看到更多，那就是大运河上的游船。我在2019年的世界运河大会上就提过这个想法。我确信，国际上会有很多游客想要沿着中国大运河乘船游览，我期待在不远的将来这个愿景能够实现。So both cities are absolutely spectacular for people who are interested in inland waterways and inland water transport and its history. And its future. And yeah, I loved visiting Yangzhou. And I also think Guilin is a world class, obviously tourist destination. But I there's one thing I would like to see more in Yangzhou, which is cruise ships on the Grand Canal. I've already said this before. Including at the World Canals Conference in 2019, I really believe that there would be a demand, international demand for cruising along China's Grand Canal, and I hope that will happen in the not too distant future.

当然，这次重返中国是我们期待已久的事，我们也十分开心。算下来是时隔七年——上一次是2019年。内河航道国际组织（IWI）的会员们未来一定也很乐意再次来到中国，还有东南亚其他国家，像越南、柬埔寨，这些国家在内河航道的建设、开发和利用方面都十分重要。Of course, it was inevitable and we are very happy. To come back to China after 7 years, it was 2019. So it's seven years ago, the IWI and the IWI membership will certainly be very happy. To come back to China in the future as well as other Southeast Asian countries, which are very important for inland waterway construction, development and use, such as Vietnam and Cambodia.

当下的经济环境也未必宽松，由公司承担费用的参会者会好办一些，但即便是企业，要拿出数千欧元来参加在中国举办的世界运河大会，并不容易。对个人参会者来说尤其如此。I think it is indeed a difficult decision to make, particularly for a private individual. Those who come and who are paid for by their companies, it's easier. But even for companies, the economy is not necessarily favorable for investing thousands and thousands of euros in attending a World Canals conference in China.

如果希望再度在中国举办世界运河大会，这件事是我们需要一起努力的：加大宣传、加强沟通。我知道你们现在已经做得很好了。但我觉得我们需要更有创意地去对外传递一个信息——再次来中国参加世界运河大会，是能收获良多的。I think it's something we need to work on to publicize more, to communicate more, which I know you're doing very well already. But I think we need to use imagination in spreading the word that there is a lot to gain from coming to participate in a world conference in China again in the future.

说实话，我们刚才也聊到，来中国参会成本投入很高。同时，我们也希望把大会轮流放到世界各地举办。We have just talked about the fact that it's difficult, it's a big investment to come to China. So for that reason, but also because we want to circulate the share the conference in different parts of the world.