DUNHUANG, China, Sept. 23, 2025 -- A report from Xinhuanet:

The 8th Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo began on September 21, 2025 in Dunhuang City, Gansu Province, under the theme "Strengthening Cultural Exchanges and Promoting Mutual Learning Among Civilizations".

The Dunhuang Expo is billed as a major international cultural gathering held under the umbrella of China's Belt and Road Initiative, intended to deepen exchanges in culture, scholarship and the arts among participating countries. This year's program includes 17 events across seven categories—ranging from exhibitions and performances to academic forums and trade promotion—drawing more than 1,200 representatives from eight international organizations and 97 countries and regions.

The exhibition hall covers roughly 24,000 square meters, the largest in the event's history, and features displays on global heritage conservation, new findings in Dunhuang studies, preservation efforts for Gansu's intangible cultural traditions, and new cultural and creative industries. In addition, artistic performances are scheduled alongside flash mobs in tourist spots such as the Dunhuang Night Market and the Mingsha Sand Dunes.

In his keynote address, Hu Changsheng, the Communist Party secretary of Gansu Province, emphasized the region's goal of building cultural influence through Belt and Road exchanges, heritage protection, tourism development and "mutual benefit" partnerships.

Qu Xing, deputy director-general of UNESCO, said the Expo reflects the nearly eight decades of cooperation between UNESCO and China and signals renewed momentum behind the Chinese government's Silk Road Initiative.

Other officials offering remarks included Prasop Riangngern, permanent secretary of Thailand's Ministry of Culture; Dmitry Shlyakhtin, first deputy culture minister of Belarus; and Joseph Isaac, speaker of the Parliament of Dominica. They described the Belt and Road Initiative as an important platform for people-to-people cultural ties.