A Kazakh student of the Confucius Institue writing Chinese characters at the opening ceremony of Experience Chongqing

By Keqiao Cheng, EDITOR

For the residents of Almaty, it will be a five-day cultural feast about Chongqing, a megapolis of Southwest China.

On September 11, the 2018 Experience Chongqing Cultural Activities opened in the largest city of Kazakhstan. In the following five days, Almaty will be immersed in rich and diverse cultural activities themed on Chongqing.

The 4^th time of Experience Chongqing in Kazakhstan

The cultural bond emerged between Kazakhstan and Chongqing when the latter organized its first cultural trip to the Central Asian country in 2013. Taking advantage of that occasion, Chongqing donated more than 20,000 books to the National Library of Kazakhstan. And it established the “Window of Chongqing” in the library.

This event has been the preface of the overseas promotion plan of Chongqing in countries along the Belt and Road.

Since 2006, Chongqing has organized several annual events of Experience Chongqing in countries along the routes of China-Europe Express Trains.

Also, a Chinese Pavilion has been established in the National Library of Kazakhstan, which has made it popular among the Kazakh people to learn Chinese language and culture.

In the five-day schedule of this year, the local people of Almaty will have the chance to know a real Chongqing via the photography exhibition, Chinese culture experience activities, etc.

A mutual cultural dialogue between Chongqing and Almaty

At the opening ceremony, the organizer made an introduction of the importance of Chongqing in terms of economic development. Due to its crucial location, Chongqing is a key point in China’s Western Development Strategy, and connects the Belt and Road with Yangtze River Economic Belt.

Miao Hongbo, China’s acting consul general to Almaty, highly praised these activities.

We hope to deepen the cultural communication between Chongqing and Almaty, and promote the mutual trade and business to build the Belt and Road better, said Miao.

At the event, Chongqing signed a tripartite agreement with the National Library of Kazakhstan and the Confucius Institute of Kazakh Ablai Khan University of International Relations and World Languages. They agreed to cooperate and co-build an Intelligent Pavilion of China, and makes it a highland for Sino-Kazakh cultural exchanges.

Traditional Chinese elements sweeping through Kazakhstan

Traditional Chinese costumes, calligraphy, art of tea, hot pot, and the bridges, rivers, mountains and night view of Chongqing, have been definitely the eye-catcher at the opening ceremony.

At the photography exhibition, some visitors even didn’t want to leave, standing there and admiring the beauty of Chongqing via the pictures.

“Chongqing is so gorgeous and I wish I could visit it.” A visitor told our reporter. “Especially the transport system in Chongqing is three-dimensional. It is impossible in our country.”

Chongqing is one of the largest cities in China, with a population of more than 32 million. By holding this event, this mega city hopes to establish a closer cultural and trade-economic relation with Central Asia.

Source: CQCB