Asia-Europe arts festival to entertain Beijing

The first Asia-Europe Meeting （ASEM） Culture and Arts Festival will be staged in Beijing next month with more than 40 ASEM members taking part. The event is aimed at showcasing the diversity, innovation and cooperation of Asian and European cultures in the arts sphere.

The festival is a legacy of the 7th ASEM Summit held in October. It will take place on a rotating basis with China chosen as the first host nation. The week-long celebration will present an exciting collection of artistic work using a range of cultural platforms, including music, dance, theater, film and exhibition.

The opening performance Asian-European Classical Symphony Concert will feature musicians from both Asian and European countries collaborating on a combination of Eastern and Western classical music. Opening on September 2, the festival will end on a high note on September 8 with the Asian European Ethnic Music and Dance Gala scheduled to be held in Chaoyang Park. The free open-air event will not only celebrate the diversity of cultures, but also allow the community to enjoy world-class entertainment first hand.

An exhibition of art from foreign embassies in China will be held at the Beijing World Art Museum as part of the festival, showcasing distinctive works that reflect each country. The 2009 Asia-Europe Stamp and Currency Exhibition at the Capital Library will see many rare stamps and coins from ASEM members on display.

One of the impetuses behind the festival is cross-cultural cooperation. According to Zhang Yu, general manager of the China Arts and Entertainment Group, the modern dance work Prism co-produced by Chinese, Swedish and Danish artists, is symbolic of the cooperative and innovative spirit of the festival.