BEIJING — Artists and art troupes from over 40 countries and regions are participating in the 14th Asia Arts Festival & the 2nd Maritime Silk Road International Arts Festival that began with a fabulous opening ceremony on Sunday in Quanzhou- a starting point of the ancient Maritime Silk Road in southeast China’s Fujian Province.
The weeklong Asia arts festival, organized by China’s Ministry of Culture, focuses on the traditional art of Asian countries, local people’s traditional lifestyle and modern development and legacy.
Besides the festival a fine art exhibition displaying 250 works of art from 30 countries along the Maritime Silk Road is also underway here.
“The arts festival this year will echo China’s Belt and Road Initiative,” said Huang Weizhou, deputy director of the Fujian Cultural Department, a co-organizer of the event.
“Models of cultural exchanges along the ancient route of the Maritime Silk Road will be explored during the festival, also to stimulate Fujian’s cultural trade in the future.”
Some hundred scholars, community leaders and officials will exchange ideas at and international forum focusing on cross-cultural dialogues and development among countries along the Maritime Silk Road.
“The aspirations of the peoples are vital to the construction of the 21st Century Silk Road. … We should promote people-to-people cultural exchanges,” said Yang Xiuping, secretary-general of the ASEAN-China Center, an intergovernmental organization promoting cooperation.
A 67-hectare theme park displaying the civilizations of Asian countries along the Maritime Silk Road was opened in Quanzhou to serve as a venue for future events.