The thousand-year-old culture and heritage that shaped the relationship of Bangladesh and China is being celebrated at BRAC University through “Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage Week”.
The celebrations are a part of the “Millennium Cultural Bonds: China-Bangladesh Cultural Exchange Month”, organized by the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Bangladesh in collaboration with the BRAC Institute of Languages.
The event showcases the depth of intangible cultural heritage—including traditional Chinese arts, musical instruments and handicrafts—and further strengthens the friendly relations between the two countries.
The celebrations were launched by BRAC University Vice-Chancellor Professor Syed Ferhat Anwar at the Exhibition Gallery of the university’s Merul Badda campus on Sunday 22 June.
The opening ceremony featured captivating performances by artists of traditional Chinese instruments such as the guzheng and erhu alongside demonstrations of martial arts.
An exhibition is also running, showcasing Chinese handicrafts and cultural artifacts.
Speakers at the ceremony said the relationship between Bangladesh and China was not only diplomatic but also a thousand-year-old cultural bond woven in humanity.
The intangible cultural heritage has created a bridge between the two nations—where the past, present and future are intertwined, they said.
Dr. Susan Vize, Head of Office and UNESCO Representative to Bangladesh, Mohammad Wares Hossain, Acting Director General of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Ariful Haque, Director of the National Library of Bangladesh, and Li Shaopeng, Cultural Adviser at the Chinese embassy, were present as special guests.
Han Zhiqiang and Yuan Xiuhuan, designated bearers of Chinese intangible cultural heritage, representatives of various organizations involved in promoting Bangladesh-China cultural cooperation, and local and foreign guests were also present.
China currently has the highest number of intangible cultural heritage items recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The event will continue till 26 June.