Poster of the Urban Civiliaztion Dialogue on "Ancient Cities with New Vitality·Chongqing Dialogues with Athens"
From September 24 to 26 (local time), a sequence of significant events focusing on cultural mutual learning, youth exchanges, and local cooperation between China, with a special focus on Chongqing, and Greece will be held in Athens and Rethymno, Crete. These events aim to strengthen ties between the two ancient civilizations and pave the way for deeper practical cooperation.
Kicking off on the afternoon of September 24 at the University of Athens, the "Looking China·International Youth Film Project" Outstanding Works Screening & "Study in Chongqing" Promotion will take center stage. With the theme "Seeing China through Images, Talking about Civilization with Youth", the event will feature film screenings, sharing sessions by young creators, and presentations on studying opportunities in Chongqing. It will showcase the achievements of the “Looking China” Project - over 15 years, it has attracted 1,100 young people from 102 countries across five continents to create 1,041 documentaries in 26 Chinese provinces and cities, winning more than 200 international awards.
On September 25, the "Ancient Cities with New Vitality · Chongqing Dialogues with Athens" Urban Civilization Dialogue will take place at the Zappeion Megaron in Athens. This high-level event is jointly organized by the State Council Information Office of China, the Chinese Embassy in Greece, and the Athens Municipal Government. It will bring together more than 150 representatives from both countries' governments, enterprises, universities, and media institutions.
The "Ancient Cities with New Vitality · Chongqing Style" Comprehensive Exhibition will be held alongside the dialogue. The exhibition will showcase Chongqing’s urban evolution over time and highlight conservation efforts for World Heritage sites such as the Dazu Rock Carvings and the Baiheliang Underwater Museum.
Dazu Rock Carvings. (Photo/Chongqing Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism Development)
Baiheliang (White Crane Ridge) in Fuling District, Chongqing. (Photo/Hu Jianzhong)
Concluding the series on September 26 afternoon, the "Symposium on Sino-Greek Local Cooperation" will take place at the Rethymno Municipal Hall in Crete. Co-organized by the Government Office of Fuling District, Chongqing, and the Rethymno Municipal Government, the symposium will focus on practical cooperation in culture, tourism, and education.
These events not only serve as a bridge for youth exchanges and cultural interactions between China and Greece but also lay a solid foundation for deepening Sino-Greek local cooperation and celebrating the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Greece Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2025.