On the afternoon of October 5, 2024, during the China-France Taiyuan Gannat International Art Week, an international intangible cultural heritage exchange event with the theme of "Regional Characteristics and Diversity, Protection, Inheritance and Development" was grandly held in Qingxu County.

During the event, Wang Jianfeng, deputy director of the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of Taiyuan City and secretary of the Qingxu County Party Committee, attended the event, and Li Fugui, deputy secretary of the Qingxu County Party Committee, county magistrate, and secretary of the Party Working Committee of the Qingxu Economic Development Zone, made an exchange speech. As one of the important birthplaces of China's excellent traditional culture, Shanxi has rich intangible cultural heritage resources. In recent years, Shanxi has achieved remarkable results in the protection and inheritance of intangible cultural heritage. It is hoped that through this event, cultural exchanges and cooperation with countries around the world will be further strengthened to jointly promote the development of global cultural diversity.

Li Fugui, Deputy Secretary of the Qingxu County Party Committee, County Magistrate, and Secretary of the Party Working Committee of the Qingxu Economic Development Zone

Mr. Christophe de Contenson, International Cooperation Officer of the Allier Department of France and Mayor of Cousin, France, Luc Roche, President of the Association Nationale Cultures du Monde, Walmer Christine, Lifetime Honorary President of the Association Nationale Cultures du Monde, and Monique Brelade, Deputy Mayor for Culture of French Guiana, spoke at the event, expressing their willingness to carry out in-depth cooperation with China in the cultural field and believing that this event has built an important platform for international cultural exchanges.

Christophe de Coutenson, International Cooperation Officer of the French Department of Allier and Mayor of the French City of Courgette

Luc Roche, President of the Association Nationale Cultures du Monde

Walmer Christian, Honorary Lifetime President of the Association Nationale Cultures du Monde

Monique Brillard, Vice-President of the University of French Guiana and former Deputy Mayor

The event is hosted by the Association Nationale Cultures du Monde, the Qingxu County Committee of the Communist Party of China, and the Qingxu County People's Government, and undertaken by Beijing Huayi Wuzhou International Cultural Exchange Co., Ltd. and Qingxu County Culture and Tourism Bureau. It aims to promote the protection, inheritance and development of intangible cultural heritage, and promote the exchange and mutual learning of Chinese and foreign cultures.

Zhao Yachao, Chairman of Beijing Huayi Wuzhou (left)

Marie-Agnès, Secretary General of the Association Nationale Cultures du Monde (right)

Ouyang Haiduo, General Manager of Beijing Huayi Wuzhou (right)

Monica, Vice President of the University of French Guiana and former Deputy Mayor (left)

During the intangible cultural heritage expert exchange session, Luo Jianchun, President of Shanxi Vinegar Industry Association, Chairman of Shanxi Zilin Vinegar Co., Ltd., and provincial intangible cultural heritage inheritor, Gao Shaojun, Director of Shanxi Noodle Museum and national intangible cultural heritage inheritor, and Han Yongsheng, Chairman of Shanxi Biaolishanhe Jinyun Cultural and Creative Industrial Park, and other intangible cultural heritage inheritors spoke respectively, introducing the innovative practices of Shanxi intangible cultural heritage in the cultural and creative industries and traditional brewing techniques, and showing the unique charm of China's intangible cultural heritage.

At the event, the Colombian team and the Taiyuan Dance Troupe performed the dances "Barranquilla Carnival" and "Fenshui Wild Goose Hill" respectively. The Shanxi Noodle Museum also brought wonderful noodle skills performances to share the inheritance and development of Shanxi noodle culture. The performers used superb skills to show off their unique skills such as riding a unicycle to cut noodles, chopping noodles with a knife, and cutting noodles with scissors, which drew applause from the guests on the scene. The cultural characteristics of different countries and regions were displayed in the form of art, promoting the exchange and integration of Chinese and foreign cultures.

Representatives from various countries also spoke and shared their experiences and achievements in the protection and inheritance of intangible cultural heritage. Guests including Eric Chacon, head of the Colombian delegation, Eva Carmen Gonsoy Wiktor, a member of the Malaysian team, Thomas Rakowski, a member of the Polish team, and Kondic Mitrovic Bruna, head of the Croatian delegation, conducted in-depth discussions on cultural exchanges and cooperation, and expressed their high recognition of this international intangible cultural heritage exchange event.

During the event, Christophe de Contensen presented gifts to Wang Jianfeng and Li Fugui. Director Zhang Jintao, Minister Yang Hongmei, Deputy County Magistrate Chen Yalin and intangible cultural heritage inheritors Luo Jianchun, Gao Shaojun and Han Yongsheng respectively presented souvenirs to representatives of the Association Nationale Cultures du Monde, French Guiana, Colombia, Croatia, Malaysia and Poland, conveying the enthusiasm and friendship of the people of Qingxu.

Finally, the event ended successfully with a group photo of all the guests. This international intangible cultural heritage exchange event not only demonstrated the profoundness of Chinese culture and enhanced the international influence of Shanxi intangible cultural heritage, but also promoted the exchange and understanding of Chinese and foreign cultures, further deepened the cultural cognition and respect between countries, and also expanded a broader space for cooperation for Qingxu County to carry out international cultural exchanges.

In the future, Shanxi will continue to uphold an open and inclusive attitude and actively promote intangible cultural heritage to the world, so that the world can better understand China and China can better integrate into the world.