Representatives from the performing arts sectors of 12 countries and regions recently visited Qianhai in Shenzhen in the lead-up to the International Performing Arts Investment & Negotiation Summit and the 4th Investment and Trade Fair of the Silk Road International League of Theatres. The two events kicked off on October 20.
The guests toured the Qianhai Exhibition Hall, the sci-tech exhibition hall in Qianhai Block V, Qianhai Stone Park, Eyes of the GBA and local performance venues. They gained first-hand experience of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area’s innovation drive, urban appeal and cultural vitality.
From Qianhai's transformation "from a blank sheet to a new city" to its sci-tech achievements and industrial dynamism, and from the reform and opening-up spirit embodied by Qianhai Stone Park to the cultural warmth of the Eyes of the GBA and the professional facilities of local theatres, the delegates were impressed by Qianhai's leapfrog development in innovation, culture and urban construction.
Dipak Sarkar, president of the World Cultural Net from Nepal, said Shenzhen is a city full of technology and modernity. Qianhai's modern spatial layout, future-oriented development vision and commitment to opening up are inspiring for cultural and performing arts professionals.
Hidajat Firdaus, deputy director of the Indonesia Theatre and Performance Association (PTPI), said stage art is a natural bridge across languages and cultures. Under APEC's advocacy of Asia-Pacific open cooperation, joint productions and artist exchange programs can help people across APEC economies see each other's cultures, enhance understanding and friendship, and build public support for regional openness.
The visit was a supporting exchange activity of the summit, which opened in Shenzhen on October 20, coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the Silk Road International League of Theatres. Under the theme "Arts Connect Asia-Pacific, Culture Unites the Greater Bay Area," the event uses APEC's presence in Shenzhen to deepen dialogue with Belt and Road partners, promote performing arts industry links and cultural exchanges, and showcase China's reform and opening-up achievements.
Participants said they will continue to leverage the league's platform and Shenzhen as a key hub to deepen transnational cultural cooperation and use art as a bridge to promote people-to-people bonds.
Reporter | Cai Minling
Photos | Bay Opera of Shenzhen
