July 26th, 2015

July 26, 2015, the First ‘Silk Road Dunhuang International Music Forum, the International Music Festival, and the Outstanding Chinese Film and TV Music Award’ opening ceremony kicked off at Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The music festival was co-sponsored by the China Alliance of Radio, Film and Television, the Publicity Department of Gansu province, the International Cultural Exchange Centre of Gansu Province and the Culture Department of Gansu province.

Yu Hongjun, former vice director of the International Department of Central CPC and vice chairman of the Chinese People’s Department for Peace and Disarment, Xiao Wunan, APECF Executive Vice Chairman who is also chairman of the advisory committee of the event, Wang Liping, a renowned musician and former vice chairman of the Central Committee of China Association for Promoting Democracy, Han Xin’an, CPC secretary of the Chinese Musicians Association, and Tian Kexue, vice secretary General of the China International Cultural Exchange Center, attended the ceremony and delivered speeches. In addition, famous Chinese musicians, Yan Su, Guan Xia, Han Lei, Qi Jianbo, Bian Liunian and Wang Yougui attended the ceremony and delivered speeches. The event’s executive secretary general, famous composer Shi Song, attended ceremony and introduced the event to media.

Guansu is where the land Silk Road begins. The ancient Silk Road was a vital communication line to the west, Dunhuang is located at the major crossroad of the Silk Road. It is the trade centre and transit hub between China and the West. Gansu occupies an important status in China’s current ‘One Belt and One Road’ Strategy. ‘One Belt and One Road’ is considered to be China’s second reform and opening up, not only from an economic strategy perspective, but also, by connecting new Eurasia plate, it strengthens the political, economic and cultural ties among the 65 countries by land and sea, and it lets China play a responsible role as a big power in the international community. To sum it up, the ‘One Belt and One Road’ strategy is to promote global peace and development, demonstrate China’s image and it is a important opportunity to construct a new order in international relations, it will have far reaching significance in improving China’s influence and say.

In order to implement the strategy, a major cornerstone needs to be established first, which is how China’s culture and values can win recognition from the countries along the Silk Road, how to win bilateral and multilateral trust and cooperation based on such recognition. Dunhuang has a rich culture, especially the culture of music, music has no boundary of space and time, it is one of the important elements to establish such a cornerstone.

In August 2014, UNESCO and famous Chinese musician Tan Dun joined hands and held a grand concert - the Map of Symphony: New Silk Road- Chang’an. Tan Dun said during the concert, the musical elements of the Silk Road and thousands of years of Chinese history were fully blended, starting in Dunhuang in Gansu, integration and exchange of music will undoubtedly bring our grand goal into the next level.

Yu Hongjun, former vice director of CPC’s International Department, recalled his experience when he worked in central Asia. He agreed with the view to strengthen ties and friendship people from central Asia through music. Xiao Wunan, executive vice chairman of Asia Pacific Exchange and Cooperation Foundation, also shared the view that the event has a far reaching significance. He also conveyed greetings from Mr. Hans d’Orville, Special Assistant to Director General of UNESCO. Tian Kexue, vice secretary general of China International Cultural Exchange Centre, said he will make full use of culture exchanges and the centre to actively push forward all the music festival’s events.

The music festival was hosted by Wangfu Culture Communication Co., Ltd. Wangfu Group has been actively involved in cultural, art and music industries and communication. It has successfully hosted the Golden Rooster and the Hundred Flowers Award, China-France cultural exchange event and one year Olympic Countdown event etc. It created music works such as Chinese Moon, Lanzhou My Dream, and it made great achievements in China’s foreign cultural communication. (Written by Chen Hui)