Forum to promote cultural exchanges along Belt and Road

Shanghai and cities along China's Belt and Road Initiatives jointly launched a study project over the weekend to research on and exchange the cultures among the cities.

Officials and scholars from China, Thailand, Laos and Egypt initiated the Belt and Road City Culture Study project on the 2018 Global Cities Culture Forum (Shanghai) in Hongkou District over the weekend.

As part of the study project, the forum gathered over 300 cultural experts, renowned scholars and government officials from global cities, including London, Boston, Vancouver, Barcelona and Cairo, to share knowledge and proposals to promote the cultural exchanges among the Belt and Road cities.

“City cultures are the common language for people around the world, and such forum can promote the integration and mutual understanding among global cultures as well as drive the cooperation and development of global cities,” said Yu Xinhui, Party secretary of Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences.

Phinij Jarusombat, former vice premier of Thailand and president of Thai-China Cultural & Relationship Council, said the Belt and Road Initiative has been promoting the regional peace and economic development with the bridge of culture.

Another key speaker at the forum, Mohammad Abdelmonem Mahmoud Elsawy, former Egyptian Ministry of Culture, asked to respect and encourage the diversity of different cultures around the world.

The forum which was held on Friday and Saturday was jointly organized by the Hongkou District government, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences and Shanghai Theatre Academy.