XI'AN, China, Nov. 20, 2025 -- This is a news release from the Shaanxi Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism: As the strains of Nessun Dorma from Puccini's Turandot filled the Shaanxi Grand Theatre on the afternoon of November 9, the curtain fell on the 11th Silk Road International Arts Festival—a 25-day celebration that transformed the ancient capital into the epicenter of global cultural exchange.

Hosted by the Shaanxi Provincial Government and co-organized by the Shaanxi Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism and the Xi'an Municipal Government, the festival painted a modern portrait of East-West dialogue at one of the world's most historic crossroads.

Between October 16 and November 9, Xi'an welcomed over 1,900 artists from 84 countries and regions, staging more than 60 performances and 30 cultural events attended by 80,000 in-person visitors. Online broadcasts reached audiences well into the hundreds of millions.

This year, China's new 240-hour transit visa-free policy permits eligible travelers to enter China through Xi'an Xianyang International Airport and stay in Shaanxi for up to six days without securing a visa in advance. Festival officials noted a marked rise in international attendees—artists, tourists, and cultural delegations—who routed through Xi'an en route to third destinations, taking advantage of the city's increasingly open gateway to the world.

For the first time, architectural works from the Politecnico di Milano were featured, signaling deeper cooperation between China and Italy in design and visual arts. Artists embraced cross-cultural creation with enthusiasm: an Argentine painter composed poems for his pieces inspired by Chinese aesthetics; Russian artists integrated the Chinese character "福" (fortune) into their oil paintings as a blessing for the Silk Road.

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Clarinet Quintet introduced American chamber music traditions, while Broadway and London's West End talent headlined a star-studded musical gala.

"It's not just an exhibition," one Slovenian artist commented. "It's a conversation between people, and between ideas."

The China–Central Asia joint exhibition, displaying over 100 representative works across painting, silk art, and intangible heritage, invited audiences to witness the shared beauty found amid cultural differences.

The 11th Silk Road International Arts Festival stood as a compelling testament to the power of culture to connect civilizations. The Silk Road, once defined by caravans and distant horizons, now shines anew — illuminated by creativity, shared humanity, and the enduring power of cultural exchange.