Honored guests from around the world pose for a photo on Thursday at the thank-you reception of the Hong Kong Ni Hao program, organized by Belt and Road Creation Resources. The guests' heart-shaped hand gestures symbolize the warm understanding and connections that transcend the geographical and cultural differences. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
By embodying the spirit of the Belt and Road Initiative, the International Young Fashion Designers Showcase Tour has provided a platform for global creative professionals to share their talent and collections far beyond their home countries.
The tour's objective is to exchange culture and art as well as trading opportunities through fashion design and to bridge new opportunities with countries around the world, said Annie Wu Suk-ching, the legendary businesswoman who has a long history of philanthropic work on the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong.
The project was created in a similar can-do spirit to that of the BRI. "The BRI is not just about the construction" of buildings and bridges, Wu said. "It is really about people-to-people (exchanges) and how they can build a modern network. If you don't have those networks, how can you build the roads? It's more about bringing people's minds and hearts together."
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Belt and Road Creation Resources initiated various cultural projects before the COVID-19 pandemic, including a chamber concert by Iceland-based Chinese violinist Lin Wei and her family. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
This year, to mark the 10th anniversary of the BRI, Wu and her team have been working hard to bring attention back to the various projects set up by Belt and Road Creation Resources, including the showcase tour.
Belt and Road Creation Resources was founded by Wu and her good friend Angel Hon to create projects in tandem with the BRI, with the aim of fostering the development of young artists and boosting the exchange of culture and arts through various events.
It also aims to promote Hong Kong to overseas people so that they can say "Hong Kong Ni Hao", and enrich the learning experience for students by providing them with opportunities to experience the cultures of China and those overseas.
Wu said, "Belt and Road Creation Resources is about telling China's stories well, and telling Hong Kong's stories well."
Belt and Road Creation Resources initiated various cultural projects before the COVID-19 pandemic, including the respective visits by Panamanian chef Charlie Collins. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
The BRI, which refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, was proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2013 to build trade and infrastructure networks connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes.
It has grown into one of the most promising platforms for international cooperation, forging a new pathway toward inclusive globalization that delivers shared benefits. By mid-February, China had signed cooperation agreements with 151 countries and 32 international organizations. Its annual trade value with countries involved in the BRI almost doubled from 2013 to 2022, according to government figures released in March.
The International Young Fashion Designers Showcase Tour was announced on March 23, 2018, in Beijing, followed by a launch news conference in Hong Kong, and has become a signature event for the company.
Between March 2018 and January 2019, the tour visited cities in four continents including Reykjavik, Iceland (Europe); Panama City, Panama (Latin America); Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (Africa); and China's Zhuhai (Asia).
Belt and Road Creation Resources initiated various cultural projects before the COVID-19 pandemic, including Sam Leijonanmieli, the mayor of Vimpeli, Finland. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
Eleven fashion designers from various cities and countries were invited to participate in the showcase tour. Each of them designed and produced two outfits under the BRI theme for the tour, to be showcased together with their latest collection. The Belt and Road Collection, designed by participating designers, featured in different places as part of the publicity drive.
The tour has enriched young designers' cultural inspiration and allowed them to reach out in harmony to the world, Hon said. For instance, in Tanzania, the showcase incorporated both the local African culture, including the costumes and dances, and traditional Chinese elements, such as calligraphy art, by mixing them together. The designers created innovative works and shot photos in an African safari environment with its unique animals and wilderness as the backdrop.
The International Young Fashion Designers Showcase Tour, a flagship cultural promotion project organized by Belt and Road Creation Resources, was welcomed around the world from March 2018 to January 2019 in cities such as Reykjavik, Iceland; Panama City, Panama; and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
Hon, whose company PR Network coordinated the International Young Fashion Designers Showcase Tour, assumed the role of tour curator.
She said that the project can help draw people's attention to international young fashion designers and showcase it through its events. Also, tourism within the participating cities has been well promoted as part of the tour, she said.
Apart from this showcase, the company has launched various cultural projects since its establishment in 2018. These include musical concerts, documentary films, and a book launch, as well as a gastronomy competition, a Chinese stamp collection exhibition and an art fair.
The International Young Fashion Designers Showcase Tour, a flagship cultural promotion project organized by Belt and Road Creation Resources, was welcomed around the world from March 2018 to January 2019 in cities such as Reykjavik, Iceland; Panama City, Panama; and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
To celebrate last year's 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, an exhibition of Chinese stamp collections was held in conjunction with China Post on Dec 22. The exhibition visited various schools for students to learn about the culture and history of China through the development of stamp collections.
On Dec 17, the "We Love Hong Kong" Gastronomy Competition was held to promote the spirit of love in the city. The event promoted family harmony and encouraged family members to work together. Overseas participants joined in the event to showcase cuisines from different cultures.
From Aug 4-7, more than 50 paintings from 17 artists, including the world-renowned Ko Nam and Liu Tung Mui, as well as artists from Keenable Creation, led by Maxim Tang, were shown at Hong Kong's Affordable Art Fair. Apart from the physical exhibits, the paintings were available as non-fungible tokens in collaboration with Artify and Boax, exploring the pioneering move to digital art.
The International Young Fashion Designers Showcase Tour, a flagship cultural promotion project organized by Belt and Road Creation Resources, was welcomed around the world from March 2018 to January 2019 in cities such as Reykjavik, Iceland; Panama City, Panama; and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
Keenable Creation is a charitable organization that offers training to budding disabled artists. It uses the commission from selling the artists' work to fund its operations. Belt and Road Creation Resources sponsored Keenable Creation's participation in the Affordable Art Fair.
On Dec 9, 2019, Wu invited violinist Dan Zhu to Hong Kong to meet with music fans and share his journey to Antarctica, where he performed in -30 C conditions. Born in Beijing, Zhu has become a renowned touring violin soloist and today is recognized as one of the leading Chinese international artists.
To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the People's Republic of China, the book 100 Major Events in Chinese History, which was sponsored by Wu to highlight landmark occasions, was launched in Hong Kong on Sept 4, 2019.
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The International Young Fashion Designers Showcase Tour, a flagship cultural promotion project organized by Belt and Road Creation Resources, was welcomed around the world from March 2018 to January 2019 in cities such as Reykjavik, Iceland; Panama City, Panama; and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
On Aug 24, 2019, Lin Wei, a violinist based in Iceland, was invited to stage a concert in Hong Kong and meet with donors to her foundation. At the concert, award winners from the foundation were given an opportunity to show their talent.
From April to November 2021, a series of dialogues was produced featuring different topics about "the Road to the Greater Bay Area". Local experts were invited to share their insights with overseas hosts including Illugi Gunnarsson, a former minister of education, science and culture in Iceland, and Sam Leijonanmieli, the mayor of Vimpeli, Finland. The videos were uploaded to YouTube as a way of promoting the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to the world.
However, this is "just the beginning", Wu and Hon said. Grander, more creative ideas to promote culture, art and the BRI spirit, will continue to be put into practice, they added.
Contact the writer at vivienxu@chinadailyapac.com
