Exchanges in Northwest China among regional partners to reinforce key role of BRI

The rich cultural heritage in Northwest China's Gansu province will be celebrated at the fifth China Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo and the 10th Dunhuang Tour-Silk Road International Tourism Festival to be held from Sept 24 to 26.

The coinciding events are aimed at promoting cultural exchanges among countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, and spurring the development of regional culture and tourism.

More than 300 representatives from Chinese and overseas governments, academic institutions and international organizations will attend the events, which will take place both online and offline. This year, a delegation from South Korea is attending as the honored guest country.

The annual SRDICE, first held in 2016, also promotes peace and cooperation, opening-up and inclusiveness, civilization appreciation and cultural communication under the guidance of the Silk Road spirit, according to the organizers. It has become one of the most influential cultural events in China, and has attracted government and business representatives from more than 100 counties and regions over the past five years.

Ren Zhenhe, governor of Gansu, said in a June meeting that the two events would be a boon for cultural exchanges, a platform to demonstrate the beauty of Gansu and an accelerator to boost regional development.

The two events will host a slew of high-profile forums, conferences, expos and art performances.

Three forums－the Dunhuang Forum, the Belt and Road Initiative Communication and Cooperation Cultural Forum and the Wuliang Cultural Forum will be held on Sept 24.

The Dunhuang Forum will invite experts to share the latest findings on Dunhuang-centered culture. It will help to strengthen academic communication and promote research on Dunhuang culture, which has come about after the long-term cultural exchanges and mutual understanding between China and other civilizations in ancient times.

The Belt and Road Initiative Communication and Cooperation Cultural Forum will host experts from provinces and autonomous regions across China. They will exchange experiences on cultural promotion and seek new ways to strengthen partnerships with countries and regions involved in the BRI.

Experts attending the Wuliang Cultural Forum will discuss civilization and the influence of five kingdoms, all named Liang, which appeared in Gansu in Western Jin Dynasty (265-316).

Four offline expos will take place from Sept 24 to 26. One will display traditional performances, cuisine and business opportunities of South Korea. Another will include replicas of cultural relics from Dunhuang, which are still housed in overseas institutes including the British Museum, the British Library, the Guimet Museum in France and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the United States. A third will feature cultural and tourism products developed by countries and regions taking part in the BRI, and the fourth will detail Chang Shana Design Award-winning works, along with other works entered into the final round of competition.

Starting next Wednesday, cultural performances will be staged in Gansu to provide a taste of the province's traditional arts, and they will include artists from the China National Traditional Orchestra.

Online exhibitions, to be presented year-around, will also be organized to allow more people to learn about Gansu.