China-EU High Level Cultural Forum to focus on sustainability

Officals and scholars at the press conference about the forum on Nov 16 in Beijing.[Provided to China Daily]

Hundreds of leaders, scholars and artists from China and Europe will get together in Beijing next week to discuss how to create economically, socially and environmentally sustainable development.

The 2014 China-EU High Level Cultural Forum will be on Nov 27-28, according to Huang Ping, director of the Institute of European Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The institute is the host of this year’s forum.

The event, in its fourth year, aims to support cooperative programs between Chinese and European cities, and strengthen collaboration between the two sides in the cultural industry, heritage protection and contemporary art.

While previous meetings have mostly involved national-level leaders, this will be the first time that Chinese city governments would talk with European regional governments, and Chinese entrepreneurs would have discussions with Europe entrepreneurs on urbanization, new energy and new technology, Huang said.

Since art is an integral part of life, they also plan dialogues between Chinese and European artists, officials said. Moreover, the forum will launch a micro film competition aimed at young filmmakers in China and Europe with the theme of "Taking the Silk Road Again".