HANGZHOU, China, Dec. 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A report from Xinhuanet North America: 

The first Liangzhu Forum, one of the key forums to support the higher-quality and higher-level construction of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), ended last week in Hangzhou, the capital of east China's Zhejiang Province.

With "Implementing the Global Civilization Initiative, Promoting Exchanges and Mutual Learning Between Civilizations" as its theme, the forum has attracted global attention with more than 300 guests from home and abroad.

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the forum. "The ruins of Liangzhu ancient city are a demonstration of the 5,000-year history of the Chinese civilization and a treasure of world civilizations."

Representatives from the Silk Road International Theatre Alliance, International Museum Alliance, International Art Festival Alliance, International Library Alliance, International Art Museum Alliance, Tourism Cities Alliance, and international cultural and artistic institutions delivered speeches at the forum.

"Greece and China are both ancient civilizations, and both can benefit from recognizing and appreciating each other's cultural treasures," said Stella Chryssoulaki, general director of Heraklion Archaeological Museum.

Besides the main forum, two sub-forums addressing worldwide sinologists and artists' impressions of Chinese civilization also took place.

Albert Tadeusz Kozik, assistant professor of the Sinology Department of Warsaw University, said cultural exchange activities between China and Poland are becoming increasingly abundant.

Wu Weishan, curator of the National Art Museum of China, has created over 50 sculptures with the theme of Confucius and other outstanding Chinese historical figures and were showcased worldwide. "In the future, I will continue to promote mutual learning between Chinese and foreign civilizations through sculpture art and actively promote Chinese culture to the world stage," said Wu said.

The "Silk Road Artists' Rendezvous" exhibition kicked off during the period. As a key sideline event of the Liangzhu Forum, 152 artworks of 84 artists from 83 countries are on show. From late November, foreign artists visited several Chinese cities, including Hangzhou, Huzhou and Shaoxing. Since 2009, hundreds of artists from nearly 100 countries have participated in similar "Silk Road Artists' Rendezvous" visits to China.

Jointly held by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the People's Government of Zhejiang Province and China International Culture Association, the first Liangzhu Forum aims to deepen mutual understanding and turn the Global Civilization Initiative into action.