Lijiang opened its first culture and art exchange festival on July 25 in its old town's cultural center.

The festival invited artists from China and South Korea and will last until Sep 15.

Jiang Yong, head of the municipal party committee’s publicity department, outlined Lijiang’s basic information. He said Lijiang, as a world-renowned tourism destination and a famous historic city of China, is known as the “world cultural heritage”, “world natural heritage” and “memory of the world”. He added that twelve nationalities including the Naxi, Yi and Pumi have developed precious cultures here. As Lijiang grows into a world famous cultural Silicon Valley it will gradually become a shrine of inter-cultural communication.

He hoped that the festival will enhance the artists' friendship and therefore promote the growth of understanding between different nationalities.

The festival is an international event for culture and art exchange held by the municipal party committee’s publicity department. It intends to build a communication platform integrating an art forum, a pen club of calligraphers and painters and folk song collection activities.

Edited by Peter Nordinger