XI›AN, China —Xi›an, the 3,100-year-old Chinese city known for its Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses, has hosted the Sino-French Culture Forum, marking another step in China›s efforts to bridge East and West in a spiritual revival of the city›s legend as the starting point of the ancient Silk Road.

Revival of Silk Road Spirit in Xi’An as Ancient Chinese City Hosts Sino-French Culture Forum.

The forum, held last Sept.17-20 in the capital city of China›s western Shaanxi province, was a feast of ideas for the world›s top experts and academicians in the fields of culture, music, architecture and design. During the event, participants savored the past, contemplated the present, and looked into the future as they discussed a variety of topics, ranging from heritage protection and historical research, to cultural preservation and urban development.

«Communication and exchanges between different civilizations is an inevitable part of human development and progression,» Chen Zhu, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People›s Congress, said at the Sino-French Cultural Forum. «The ancient Silk Road paved the way for the integration of world civilizations, and today›s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is the modern-day reincarnation of the Silk Road spirit. I hope that the peoples of China and France can tap into the huge potential of their respective cultural heritage to jointly create a better tomorrow for the entire human race.»

The four-day forum put Xi›an into the global spotlight, presenting to the world the enduring glamour of a Chinese city which stands in the ranks of Rome, Athens and Cairo as the cradles of human civilization.

The theme of the forum centered around the BRI, China›s modern Silk Road project which aims to link China with Eurasian countries via a series of infrastructure projects that follow ancient trade routes. — SG