“World Choir Events in the Belt and Road” – China/Sweden-Scandinavia-Day
As part of the Grand Prix of Nations Gothenburg 2019 and the 4th European Choir Games in Sweden, we celebrated a premiere on August 7 with the first “World Choir Events in the Belt and Road” China/Sweden-Scandinavia Day – a day dedicated to friendship. A friendship that also lives in and through music.
Music can make a great contribution to the exchange of peoples as well as to harmony and peace in the world. Peace, cooperation and mutual understanding are also the aim of the new Silk Road (Belt and Road), which was founded six years ago by the highly esteemed President of the People’s Republic of China, Mr. Xi Jinping. Similar to the new Silk Road and China’s ambition for a mutual understanding of cultures, INTERKULTUR’s goal is to connect countries, cities and people through an international cultural exchange and above all by singing together.
Based on this common ideal INTERKULTUR supports the global initiative “Belt and Road”. “The orientation of these international events should promote cultural exchange and cooperation between countries and regions along the Silk Road. The aim is to preserve the heritage of the spirit of the Silk Road and to create a positive atmosphere for the further development of the Belt and Road,” said INTERKULTUR President Günter Titsch.
This premiere, which is entirely dedicated to the Swedish-Chinese friendship, marks the start of a new INTERKULTUR event series – “World Choir Events” in connection with “Belt and Road”.
During the first “World Choir Events in the Belt and Road” China Day, Swedish and Chinese choirs performed together and provided a musical program for the day. Exciting workshops and panel discussions on choral pedagogy and education in China and Europe offered the opportunity for intercultural exchange and mutual learning.
The “World Choir Events in the Belt and Road” China/Sweden-Scandinavia Day was organized as part of the Grand Prix of Nations Gothenburg 2019 & 4th European Choir Games, which took place from August 3-10 in Gothenburg, Sweden. Organizers were INTERKULTUR and INTERKULTUR China, with special support from the City of Gothenburg, Göteborg&Co. as well as the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Gothenburg, represented by Consul General Mr. Gu Hui and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Kingdom of Sweden, represented by Cultural Attachée Mrs. Chen Xiao.
Special thanks go to the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the Kingdom of Sweden, Mr. Gui Congyou, for his support and friendly greeting. I would also like to thank the President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the China International Friendship Cities Association, Mrs. Li Xiaolin, for the good cooperation and the support she has shown through her benevolent greeting and the presence in Gothenburg of the Vice-President, Mr. Xie Yuan, and the Secretary General, Mr. Qing Boming. We would also like to thank the China Chorus Association and the President Mr. Li Peizhi for his friendly greeting and his presence at the first “World Choir Events in the Belt and Road” China Day.
