2014 Youngsters’ tour to Silk Road ceremony [Photo provided to Chinaculture.org]

“2014 Youngsters’ tour to Silk Road” started in Lanzhou on July 22, 2014. Themed “Inheriting Chinese civilization,” the event invited 100 students and teachers from 12 universities in the Mainland, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. They will visit 18 cultural relic sites, natural and intangible cultural heritage sites, and participate in activities such as “walking across the city” and “accomplishing world heritage knowledge contest.”

Beginning in Lanzhou, the nearly 3,000-km-long tour will last for 12 days. The participants will pass through Zhangye, Wuwei, Jiayuguan, Dunhuang, which are the important cities along the Silk Road. The college students will experience folk customs, and take part in activities such as calligraphy events, voluntary services, and historical knowledge competitions to enable them to have a deeper understanding of cultural heritage and enhance their awareness and responsibility of cultural heritage protection.

Co-sponsored by China Cultural Heritage Foundation and Lanzhou University, it was originated from a travel event to the Silk Road organized by Lanzhou University in 2005. For nine consecutive years, it has featured "a tour to Silk Road to enhance cross-straits exchanges and carry forward Chinese culture,” inviting more than 500 students and teachers to experience the journey. It is reported that the event was listed as a brand item by the Ministry of Education to exchange with Taiwan.

We Recommend:

First session of Visiting Program for Young Sinologists 2014 ends with success	China Voice: Pacific won't block cultural dialogue	Contemporary Chinese painting exhibit underway in the US