The Dunhuang Academy and former directors of the academy Chang Shuhong, Duan Wenjie and Fan Jinshi were awarded the Certificate of Outstanding Contribution by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on Thursday.

Chang and Duan were awarded posthumously.

The award ceremony was held during the Safeguarding Living Heritage for Sustainability Forum in the city of Dunhuang in northwest China's Gansu Province.

The certificates were given out to the recipients in recognition of their contribution to the protection and conservation of the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang, according to a UNESCO official.

Home to more than 2,000 colored sculptures and 45,000 square meters of frescoes, the Mogao Caves were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
The achievements in the protection of the Mogao Caves would not have been possible without the strong support of the country, the assistance of academic institutions and scholars from home and abroad, as well as the continuous efforts of many generations spanning nearly 80 years, said Fan, urging sound coordination of the protection, research and promotion of the Mogao Caves.

Jointly organized by UNESCO, the World Bank and the Gansu Provincial People's Government, the forum is a part of the sixth Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo that kicked off Wednesday.