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Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping (4th,
L) and Belgian King Albert II (5th, L) attend the opening ceremony of
Europalia China art festival in Brussels, capital of Belgium, Oct. 8,
2009. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)
Photo Gallery>>> |
BRUSSELS, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- Europalia art festival
opened here on Thursday, with China as the only guest country to celebrate its
40th anniversary.
The opening ceremony of Europalia China was held with
the presence of Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping at the invitation of Belgian
King Albert II.
The King, the Queen and eight other royal family
members attended the ceremony, which was announced open by President of
Europalia International Comte Jacob de Hagen.
Before an audience of more than 400, Belgian Foreign
Minister Yves Leterme spoke highly of Belgium-China relations and China's
increasing importance.
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Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping
(front, L4) and Belgian King Albert II (front, R4) attend the opening
ceremony of Europalia China art festival in Brussels, capital of Belgium,
Oct. 8, 2009. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)
Photo Gallery>>> |
He said that everybody in Belgium could see and feel
that China has never before so frequently appeared "in our heart and mind" as
today, concerning "our economy, interests and future."
Leterme noted that the four-month Europalia China art
festival has also highlighted China's ubiquitous ness.
Chinese Vice Minister of Culture Zhao Shaohua also
expressed on the occasion her hope that the grand festival could make a platform
for Belgian and Chinese peoples to better know each other.
Europalia China, to be lasting till Feb. 14, 2010,
will offer the European audience a unique opportunity to get to know all aspects
of Chinese culture and lifestyle.
As many as 19 Chinese provinces, cities and
autonomous regions,58 museums, libraries, archeological institutes, and numerous
public and private cultural institutions have contributed to the art festival,
jointly organized by Europalia International and the Chinese Ministry of
Culture.
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Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping (2nd,
L) and Belgian King Albert II (2nd, R) watch exhibits during Europalia
China art festival in Brussels, capital of Belgium, Oct. 8, 2009.
(Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)
Photo Gallery>>> |
In the four months to come, around 50 exhibitions and
300 performances will be presented to audience in Belgium, the Netherlands,
France, Germany and Luxembourg
In total, more than 1,000 artists will take part in
the festival.
The displays and art performances follow four main
themes, namely Immortal China, Contemporary China, Colorful China and China and
the World.
Each theme is illustrated by a key exhibition:
Son of the Heaven at the Center for Fine Arts will
represent Immortal China and be devoted to the emperors. On display will be some
of the most beautiful works of art selected from 5,000 years of China's glorious
past.
The State of Things will illustrate Contemporary
China. The exhibition brings together works of 50 contemporary Belgian and
Chinese artists.
The Orchid Pavilion, highlighting the theme of
Colorful China, will display the origins and significance of calligraphy in the
Chinese culture.
At the Royal Museums of Art and History, the Silk
Road will represent the theme of China and the World, by taking the visitor on a
breathtaking journey through the little-known regions between Xi'an, capital
city of Shaanxi province, and the Tianshan mountain range in Xinjiang Uygur
Autonomous Region in northwestern China.
Scores of Chinese famous artists in the fields of
music, art, architecture, literature will take part in seminars and other events
during the festival.
The Chinese Lunar New Year (Spring Festival)
celebration will close the Europalia China festival on Feb. 14, 2010.
Special report: Chinese VP Xi Jinping visits five European
nations
