Maritime Silk Road Culture Tour concludes in Manila
The 2019 Maritime Silk Road(MSR) Culture Tour concluded on Oct.27 in the Philippines, as representatives from cultural and archaeological departments of Chinese cities Guangzhou, Changsha and Nanjing wrapped up MSR culture promotion activities in the archipelago, the 3rd and last stop of their international tour, following Brunei and Indonesia.
The Maritime Silk Road Cultural Tour is a three-year event launched in Guangzhou last year to promote Maritime Silk Road culture and heritage globally. Prior to the Philippines, the event, now at its 2nd year, has brought official and public activities to Brunei and Indonesia in an effort to enhance cultural exchanges and expand the influence of MSR culture among countries and regions along the ancient sea route.
The promotions in the three Southeast Asian countries have been proven fruitful. During the roadshows held in Surabaya, Indonesia, and Manila, the Philippines, the Chinese delegation had signed an Memorandum of Understanding with both countries on cooperation in terms of heritage preservation and tourism resources development and sharing.
In the roadshow held in Manila on Oct.24, Ms. Evangelina Lourdes "Luli" Arroyo-Bernas, Chairman of the National Museum of the Philippines, said that China and the Philippines have established trade ties since one thousand years ago, and the cultural exchanges nowadays have only brought two countries closer.
She welcomed Chinese archaeologists and historians to the Philippines to conduct research on the ancient Maritime Silk Road in cooperation with Philippine counterparts.
Quan Hong, Director of the Guangzhou Association of Cultural Relic and Museum, also said in the official event that China and the Philippines, as friendly neighbors across the sea, enjoy geographical proximity and strong bond that links our people and cultures.
He hoped that the event can enhance the cultural exchanges between both sides and lay the groundwork for future cooperation in heritage preservation and tourism development.
Public activities were arranged in Brunei for citizens to learn about Guangzhou through puzzle games, Cantonese food and souvenirs.
An exhibition featuring MSR cultural heritage of 26 Chinese cities was also held in three countries for locals to explore the ancient sea route that linked their countries to China in ancient times.
The Chinese delegation was led by Quan Hong, Director of Guangzhou Association of Cultural Relics and Museum, Zhou Huiwen, Director of Cultural Relics Protection and
Archaeology, Changsha Cultural, Tourism and Radio Bureau, Hunan Province, and Xiang Zuoyuan, Deputy Director of Cultural Heritage Management Department of Nanjing Cultural and Tourism Bureau.
The culture tour was initiated and organized by the Administration of Cultural, Radio, Television and Tourism of Guangzhou, the leading city of China's 26-city Alliance in Maritime Silk Road Heritage Protection and Inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List.