Written by: Staff Report
Posted on: April 30, 2020 | 
Chinese Martial Arts Workshop
This month, the China Cultural Centre in Pakistan (CCCP) celebrated its fifth anniversary of promoting cultural exchange and cooperation between China and Pakistan. Through cultural programs, workshops, and resources, they have continuously cultivated awareness of Chinese culture to the Pakistani public to further strengthen the deep ties between life-long friends and allies.
The China Cultural Centers are a group of diplomatic organizations established to create a two-way cultural dialogue between China and other countries. Since the 1980s, China Cultural Centers have been established in over 20 countries across Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America. They serve to not only organize cultural activities but also to inform and educate the public about the vast beauty and diversity of Chinese culture.
Federal Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training, and Federal Minister for National History and Literary Heritage Mr. Shafqat Mehmood at CCCP Book Fair
In April 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping and the then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif jointly inaugurated the Centre at the Prime Minister’s Office in Islamabad. This served to further strengthen bilateral ties of friendship between China and Pakistan. CCCP endeavors to think of creative and interactive ways to showcase Chinese history, culture, tourism, and stories for the Pakistani public. This is particularly crucial now that Pak-China relations aim to include cultural exchange and people-to-people connectivity, and not just economic activity as a part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
President Xi Jinping and then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif inaugurating the China Cultural Center
Thus far, the CCCP has organized over 26 photography exhibitions which have attracted over 20,000 visitors in total. There have also been training workshops on Chinese Martial Arts, Chinese Culinary Art, and Chinese Paper Cutting, which attracted more than 3,000 participants.
Students at a CCCP Photography Exhibition
Also, CCCP regularly celebrates Chinese holidays and festivals in Islamabad, attracting a host of people who are interested in learning about Chinese customs. In the past five years, there have been more than 30 grand cultural performances. The events of the past year include the “70th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China”, “65th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations Between China and Pakistan”, and the "Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival" gala performance, all of which attracted more than 100,000 viewers.
The 2020 Chinese New Year Celebrations
Most recently, the Chinese New Year celebrations included a lecture series on traditional medicine, art, and the Belt and Road initiative, in collaboration with various universities in Pakistan and China. As of August 2019, CCCP has inaugurated the “China Film Festival and Film Conference”, which introduced popular Chinese films to Pakistani film lovers, and began talks on cooperation between the film industries of both countries.
Unfortunately, due to the prevailing situation with regards to COVID-19, no festivity could occur to commemorate the anniversary. However, CCCP has launched virtual exhibitions and documentaries under the banner of “Visiting China Online”, as a way to showcase the breadth and charm of China through the power of social media.
These include five online photo exhibitions, "Our Silk Road", "World Cultural Heritage in China", "The Ancient Silk Road State of Kucha", "Beautiful China", "Celebrating in Harmony and Joy – Chinese Spring Festival Photo Exhibition". Those interested in documentaries, can view "Beautiful China", "China Beyond Your Imagination", and "One Belt One Road – People to People Connectivity".
Youlin Magazine wishes a happy anniversary to the China Cultural Center and looks forward to many more years of Pak-Cheen Dosti (Pak-China Friendship). To view the China Online Series, please follow The China Cultural Center in Pakistan’s Facebook page.
A Joint Chinese and Pakistani Musical Instrument Workshop
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