On April 7, the 11th Chongqing International Cultural Industry Expo (CQCIE) opened at the Chongqing International Convention & Exhibition Center. This event gathered thousands of exhibitors from various countries, including Belarus, the Philippines, Uruguay, Tanzania, and Pakistan, as well as many provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities of China, and districts and counties of Chongqing. The expo aims to showcase their culture and create a better life.

On April 7, the 11th Chongqing International Cultural Industry Expo (CQCIE) opened at the Chongqing International Convention & Exhibition Center (Nanping). (Photo/Chongqing International Cultural Industry Expo) 

The theme for this year's CQCIE is "Cultural Empowerment and Industrial Revitalization." The event is sponsored by the Chongqing Daily News Group under the guidance of the Publicity Department of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee and Chongqing Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism Development. The exhibition hall, around 30,000 square meters, is divided into nine exhibition areas with themes such as Bayu Culture, Intangible Cultural Heritage & Arts and Crafts, Foreign Culture, City Integration, Smart Culture and Tourism, Contemporary Art, and Cultural Equipment Experience.

The Bayu Culture exhibition area displays new achievements, business forms, and scenarios related to culture from various districts and counties of Chongqing, including Yuzhong, Nan'an, Dadukou, Yubei, Jiangbei, and others. The City Integration exhibition area showcases cultural and tourism brands, cultural industries, and investment and financing projects from different parts of China, such as Guangdong, Jiangsu, Sichuan, Guizhou, Shanxi, and more.

Chongqing's Dazu district exhibition hall in the Bayu Culture exhibition area. (Photo/Chongqing International Cultural Industry Expo) 

At the Foreign Culture exhibition area, visitors can explore traditional arts and crafts, creative designs, intangible cultural heritage, culture and tourism, culture and education, and film and television works from countries like Belarus, the Philippines, Uruguay, Tanzania, Pakistan, and others. The Smart Culture and Tourism exhibition area focuses on the media industry, cultural groups, digital animation, copyright trading, culture and technology, and internet enterprises. The Cultural Equipment Experience exhibition area showcases amusement facilities and equipment, recreational vehicles, cultural and tourism equipment, leisure tourism, and outdoor supplies.

The delicate exhibits presented by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. (Photo/Chongqing International Cultural Industry Expo)

The Contemporary Art exhibition area exhibits sculptures, oil paintings, and engravings and introduces artists' studios, creative art spaces, galleries, auction houses, investment companies, appraisal companies, evaluation companies, and more. 

At the Intangible Cultural Heritage & Arts and Crafts exhibition area, visitors can appreciate excellent arts and crafts, ceramic crafts, pad auk art, embroideries and weaving crafts, contemporary crafts, folk crafts, jewelry, and more. The Rural Revitalization exhibition area publicizes tea culture, special agricultural products, specialty food listed as intangible cultural heritage, special local products, and rural cultural and tourism products. 

This year's CQCIE also held a main forum under the guidance of the Publicity Department of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee, Chongqing Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism Development, Chongqing Commission of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and Chongqing Federation of Literary and Art Circles. The "2023 Chongqing Culture Empowers Rural Revitalization" forum organized in-depth discussions on theoretical research and practical achievements of culture empowering rural revitalization.

The forum was co-sponsored by Chongqing Daily, Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, and Chongqing Artists Association. It invited authoritative scholars, outstanding enterprise representatives, and senior practitioners with national influence in culture-empowering rural revitalization to share their theoretical achievements and practical experience through keynote speeches and salons.

The forum for the Think Tank of Culture Empowering Rural Revitalization made its debut, jointly initiated by the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, Chongqing Daily, Chongqing Academy of Social Sciences, and Chongqing Artists Association. This think tank aims to unite the strength of all parties to promote the integration of theoretical research and social practice of rural culture and to concentrate domestic and international professional resources on the development of rural culture.

Furthermore, this year's CQCIE includes a series of cultural activities aimed at showcasing "the power of culture," highlighting "brilliant creative ideas," and offering a glimpse into "a bigger world." The First Camellia Cup Wuling Creative Star Young Designer Competition is held as part of these activities, inviting works from the public and encouraging colleges and universities to carry out creative design for Wuling Mountain to boost the local cultural and tourism industries.

Nan'an District launched the "Scenery in Nan'an" Nanbin Road consumption sub-venue series of supporting activities to support the expo, attracting numerous merchants along Nanbin Road to participate. These activities aim to stimulate consumption and boost the market through cultural and tourism product promotions, catering promotions, hotel promotions, and more.

The Organizing Committee and exhibitors of the CQCIE will also launch "Made-in-Chongqing" cultural brand promotion activities, shopping festivals, and experience activities of intangible cultural heritage, as well as promotional activities of local products for rural revitalization.