Grassroots exchanges bring people together

On the evening of June 11, the Suzhou Symphony Orchestra closed its two-day tour of Egypt at the Cairo Opera House. The high-profile concerts, which blended Eastern elegance, Egyptian flavors and global classical works, have added a new chapter to Suzhou's grassroots exchanges with Arab countries.

Nearly 800 guests, including political leaders and representatives of various sectors of both countries, attended the opening concert. The event also featured a video address by China's foreign minister, followed by videos revealing a commemorative badge and envelope marking the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Egypt, making the concert a landmark in bilateral friendship.

Among the musicians on stage was the orchestra's Italian principal clarinetist, who has played with the ensemble for a decade and sees the Egypt tour as a rare chance to witness a milestone in China-Egypt friendship.

As one of the musicians who joined the tour, he values the bond the visit created among Italian, Chinese and Egyptian civilizations. He hopes to use his instrument to pay tribute to 70 years of diplomatic ties between China and Egypt, helping bring down cultural barriers and bring different civilizations together.

Youth bonds

Such people-to-people contact has long been a cornerstone of Sino-Arab friendship. On Aug 8,2015, at the invitation of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, a delegation of outstanding university students from the UAE Youth Ambassadors Program visited Suzhou, touring Soochow University and its museum.

This program was launched in 2012 and expanded to include China in 2013. Each year, 20 to 30 outstanding students from leading universities in the United Arab Emirates are selected to visit China.

It is designed to give Emirati youth, especially the country's most promising young talents, a comprehensive understanding of China, and to carry the traditional friendship and cooperation between the two countries forward.

Cultural industries

In Saudi Arabia, cultural exchanges have extended into the cultural industries. Since 2013, Suzhou Ori Animation has worked with the country's culture, media and other related institutions on copyright trade and co-production.

The company has exported more than 50 hours of animated content to Saudi Arabia and opened a regional office in Riyadh to distribute its works across the Arab world.

These cultural exchanges have since become two-way. During the Sino-Arab animation industry forum in 2023, a film company from Riyadh opened its Chinese office in Suzhou, the first overseas office set up by a Saudi cultural company in the city.

From symphony stages to youth exchange visits and co-produced animations, Suzhou's engagements with Arab countries have been centered on people and rooted in grassroots interaction.

Joint performances, youth dialogues and frames of animation bring the grand narrative of friendship down to tangible, day-to-day exchanges.