A Chinese artist shows the traditional making technique of Kesi, a type of silk tapestry woven with intricate pictures. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Tao Xiaonian, chairman of the China National Arts and Crafts Society, said folk art and traditional handicrafts have become an emotional bond linking different civilizations.

"During the development of the Belt and Road Initiative, regional cultures, ethnic traditions should be respected, cultural diversity should be protected, and to actively build a platform to showcase the handicrafts along the Silk Road," Tao said.

Chen Ping, sponsor of the forum, and dean of the Academy of Cultural Heritage and Creative Industry in Jinan University said, as high technology advances, traditional culture is disappearing and the presentation mode of civilization is also changing.

"How to make traditional handicrafts produce new values in modern era, how to make today's children gain confidence from traditional culture, and how to make traditional techniques bloom in contemporary era, these topics are among what the forum is discussing," Chen said.

Experts from the countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, such as Pier Francesco Funmagalli, deputy curator from Bibioteca Ambrosiana in Italy, Ahmed Youssef, chairman of Egyptian Handicraft Society and a professor of Cairo University, also delivered speeches at the forum.

Meanwhile, a group of officials from cultural departments, university professors, museum curators, experts in cultural heritage field and folk artisans from countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, such as Italy, Russia, Cambodia and Iran, participated in the forum.

Experts home and abroad also held a closed-door seminar during the forum, which concentrated on theories and policies in cultural heritage field, cooperative mechanisms of NGOs, cooperative projects in cultural heritage industry and cooperative workshops among folk artists.

The forum is supported by the China Overseas Exchange Association and the Internationale Rganisation Für Volkskunst (IOV), hosted by the China National Arts and Crafts Society and Jinan University, and undertaken by the Academy of Cultural Heritage and Creative Industry in Jinan University, founded in May this year.