Actors perform at the opening ceremony of the 2020 "Focus on Zhejiang" International Cultural Exchange Week. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The 2020 "Focus on Zhejiang" International Cultural Exchange Week was launched Dec 4 in Shaoxing city, Zhejiang province, sponsored by Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism.

By holding a series of events, the week will fully display the achievements of international cultural exchange in Zhejiang and build a platform for people all over the world to better understand Chinese culture and Zhejiang.

During the launch ceremony, seven institutions in Zhejiang province were named in the first batch of provincial-level international cultural exchange bases, including the China National Silk Museum, Wuzhen Scenic Spot, and the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City.

In addition, 31 foreigners were honored as "Envoys of Picturesque Zhejiang" to mark their contributions of sharing Zhejiang and China with the world. These individuals included Demiri from Russia, who does livestreaming about Chinese culture on the popular video-sharing app Douyin, Japanese historian Shio Tanaka and others.

Keynote speeches are also being held during the week, which has invited Chen Shenglai, a senior researcher from the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences; Zhang Hui, deputy director of the Expert Committee of the World Tourism Cities Federation; and other experts to share their views on how to better conduct international exchanges about Zhejiang.

Seven institutions in Zhejiang province are honored as the first batch of provincial-level international cultural exchange bases during the 2020 "Focus on Zhejiang" International Cultural Exchange Week, Dec 4, 2020. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]