Turkiye, Sri Lanka host cultural exchange events with Chinese cities

The cultural exchange event "Encounter and Enlighten" recently opened in Istanbul, Turkiye, highlighting exchanges with Nanjing, Jiangsu province, as well as in Colombo, Sri Lanka, where exchanges between the city and Ningbo, Zhejiang province, were featured. The series of events highlights intercity dialogues on topics including mutual learning among civilizations and urban development.

The events were attended by representatives from governments, academia and cultural institutions.

In a video message addressing the Nanjing-Istanbul Urban Civilization Dialogue held on July 2, Frederique Aubert, head of the culture unit at the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science and Culture in Europe, which is based in Venice, noted that both Nanjing and Istanbul possess rich cultural heritage and that their heritage conservation practices can serve as models for the preservation and sustainable development of historic cities worldwide.

Huriye Merve Gedik, head of the City History, Promotion and Tourism Department of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, said that Istanbul and Nanjing are both historic cities that have flourished along waterways and prospered through the accumulation of civilization.

The dialogue facilitates the two cities in deepening mutual understanding and creates opportunities for practical cooperation, such as preserving ancient city walls and utilizing cultural heritage, Gedik said.