Addis Ababa: An exhibition showcasing the ancient Liangzhu culture of China concluded in Addis Ababa today with a commitment of officials to harness Ethio-China culture as the basis for fostering exchanges and sustainable development.
China Media Group in collaboration with the Ethiopian Heritage Authority organized the exhibition aimed to harness Ethio-China cultural exchanges for sustainable development.
Tourism State Minister Sileshi Girma, UNESCO Office in Addis Ababa Director Rita Bissoonauth, Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia Deputy Chief of Mission Shen Qinmin, and other dignitaries attended the closing ceremony.
Tourism State Minister, Sileshi Girma on the occasion emphasized the deep-rooted ties between Ethiopia and China, dating back thousands of years.
China’s Liangzhu culture is a crucial chapter in human history, akin to Ethiopia’s ancient civilization along the Nile River, he noted, stating that the exhibition fosters Ethio-China cultural exchanges.
This exhibition is more than just display o
f ancient artifacts. It’s a bridge of culture and friendship between our two ancient civilizations, Sileshi said.
‘Both Ethiopia and China are culturally rich countries. Our two peoples are proud of this. Today, we are here through the exhibition at the National Museum and the closing program at the skylight hotel, celebrating the shared heritage of humanity and the power of cultural exchange in building mutual understanding and respect between our two nations,’ he added.
Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia Deputy Chief of Mission, Shen Qinmin congratulated Ethiopia on becoming the African country with the highest number of UNESCO-designated cultural and natural heritage sites.
‘Before I talk about China, I would like to congratulate Ethiopia this year for becoming the African country with the highest number of UNESCO designated cultural and natural heritage sites,’ Shen said.
‘We celebrate and we clap for Ethiopia. This is a robust evidence of the great civilization in the African continent. African continent i
s no less splendid than any other civilization.’
The deputy chief of mission underscored China’s commitment to cultural dialogue and peaceful coexistence, as embodied in President Xi Jinping’s global civilization initiative launched last year.
‘In this Chinese initiative, we champion for cultural and civilizational dialogue rather than confrontation. We champion for cross-cultural interaction, peaceful coexistence, rather than a clash of civilizations,’ he stressed.
UNESCO Office in Addis Ababa Director, Rita Bissoonauth on her part stressed the importance of culture and civilization in fostering mutual understanding and sustainable development.
She praised both China and Ethiopia for their rich cultural heritage and UNESCO-listed sites.
‘China and Ethiopia are countries with ancient civilization and history,’ she said pointing out that while Ethiopia has the highest number of UNESCO inscribed sites in Africa; China has also the highest heritage sites in the world following Italy.
Ethiopia has 9 tangibl
e and five intangible heritage sites inscribed in UNESCO.
Protecting and safeguarding the world’s cultural and natural heritages and supporting the creativity and dynamic cultural sectors are fundamental to addressing the challenges of our time, she said.
UNESCO will continue to pursue worldwide efforts to disseminate and put into action cultural diversity, which enables to build bridges to foster harmony and to come on to complete understanding and solidarity, she reassured.
Source: Ethiopian News Agency