中国·福州——热爱城市从热爱美食开始

The 2024 Maritime Silk Road International Cultural Tourism Festival and Fuzhou International Friendship Cities Cultural Festival kicked off on the 6th. A total of 22 guests from nine countries, representing nine international sister cities, prospective sister cities, and cities with friendly ties, gathered in Fuzhou to participate in a series of activities, including the Sister City Tea Talks, Fuzhou Intangible Cultural Heritage Experience, and the “International Sister City Mayors’ Fuzhou Tour” among others. The “Hello, Sister Cities!” International Friendship Cities Cultural Festival Photo Exhibition was held concurrently.

The guests visited the Fuzhou Urban Planning Exhibition Hall and viewed the model of the Fuzhou urban area.

The 2024 Fuzhou International Friendship Cities Cultural Festival aims to promote cultural exchange between sister cities, enhance the recognition of Mindu culture both locally and internationally, and promote the diversified development of culture. 22 guests from cities including Tacoma, USA, Siem Reap, Cambodia, Campinas, Brazil, Koszalin, Poland, Malé, Maldives, Dhankuta, Nepal, Palmerston North, New Zealand, Luang Prabang, Laos, and Split, Croatia were invited to the event, including Tomasz Sobieraj, Mayor of Koszalin, Poland; Beata Górecka, Deputy Mayor of Koszalin; Chintan Tamang, Mayor of Dhankuta, Nepal; Debbie Marshall-Lobb, Deputy Mayor of Palmerston North, New Zealand; Clare Petrich, Chair of the Sister Cities Council of Tacoma, USA; Hei Yong, Deputy Mayor of Siem Reap, Cambodia; Adam Azim, Mayor of Malé, Maldives; and Saveuy Silavanh, Deputy Mayor of Luang Prabang, Laos.

During the Cultural Festival, the International Sister City Mayors’ Fuzhou Tour series events will take place. On the afternoon of the 5th, at the first stop of the tour — the Fuzhou Urban Planning Exhibition Hall — guests were immersed in the city’s past, present, and future. Guided through the exhibit, they admired the world’s largest lacquer painting Fuzhou, and explored the large-scale sand model, gaining insight into the city’s overall layout and future planning, frequently expressing their admiration.

Starting on the 6th, the guests will continue their visits to sites such as Minjiang University, Liangcuo Historical and Cultural District, China Shipbuilding Cultural City, Sanfang Qixiang Historical and Cultural District, and Yantaishan Historical Landscape Area. They will explore Fuzhou’s intangible cultural heritage and gain a comprehensive understanding of the city’s development in areas such as economy, society, and culture. The focus will be on fostering practical cooperation between sister cities and strengthening cultural exchanges.

During the Cultural Festival, two sessions of the Sister City Mayors’ Tea Talks will be held, themed “New Quality Productive Forces Empowering Urban Cultural Industry Development” and “Promoting Low-Carbon Development through Green Practices.” Guests will share insights and engage in discussions on the relationship between new quality productive forces and urban cultural industry development, as well as the challenges and opportunities in achieving green, low-carbon, and high-quality development.

In other news, the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) has recently approved the application to establish an official sister-city relationship between Fuzhou and Malé, the capital of the Maldives. The two cities are set to formally sign the sister-city agreement during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Maritime Silk Road International Cultural Tourism Festival and Fuzhou International Friendship Cities Cultural Festival on the 6th. (Fuzhou Evening News Reporter: Wang Yanglin, Text/Photo)