Chongqing - On December 19th, a forum titled "China-Europe People-to-People Exchange and Mutual Learning from the Perspectives of Humanities and Arts Education" commenced at the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute Art Museum. Officials, scholars, and artists from China and Greece attended the event.
Prof. Chloe Balla addressed the opening (photo/ Xuelin Mu)
The forum highlighted that beyond language, various art forms—such as music, opera, and painting—serve as powerful channels for fostering mutual learning and understanding among civilizations. Centered on themes including visual arts education, film art education, music art education, and cross-civilizational dialogue, scholars and artists from both countries showcased representative works, shared practical experiences, and exchanged insights on advancing intercultural communication through artistic creation and on driving artistic development through mutual learning.
Participants of the forum (photo/ Xuelin Mu)
Eirini Tomesaki, an assistant professor at Berklee College of Music in the United States, shared how Chinese cultural elements have inspired her musical compositions, particularly through collaborative projects with Chinese artists. Reflecting on the role of music in civilizational exchange, she noted that music bridges distances, conveys emotions beyond words, embraces hybridity over purity, aids migrants in preserving their identity while forging new ones, and transmits ethical and philosophical understanding.
Wang Haizhou, head of the department of film studies of Beijing Film Academy (photo/Xuelin Mu)
When discussing how Chinese cinema can convey Chinese culture and philosophy to global audiences, Wang Haizhou, Head of the Department of Film Studies at Beijing Film Academy, emphasized that all civilizations aspire toward truth, virtue, and beauty. He said that for a Chinese film to carry our culture and philosophy and be understood, accepted, and appreciated by international viewers, it must express values shared not only by China but by all humanity. Once common ground is established, curiosity about the whole naturally follows.
Greek Ambassador to China gave remarks at the forum (photo/Xuelin Mu)
H.E. Evgenios Kalpyris, the Greek Ambassador to China, remarked that art offers unique opportunities to connect with others through nonverbal means and serves as an educational medium beyond language. He said that art functions as a form of communication that enables people not only to comprehend but also to engage emotionally.
The forum was organized by the Center for Chinese and Greek Civilizations at Southwest University. Professor Wang Yong, Secretary-General of the Center, explained that the event was a parallel session of the 4th China-Europe Humanities and Arts Education Forum and the 2025 "China Express for International People-to-People Exchange" Global Youth Fine Art Exhibition AGENDA. It also formed part of the China-Greece Art Exchange Month. The Center has long been committed to promoting bilateral exchanges, with the Art Exchange Month being one of its key initiatives. In addition, the Center regularly organizes people-to-people activities, including facilitating visits by Chinese university students to Greece to experience contemporary Europe and inviting Greek students to China to engage with Chinese civilization and witness its modernization journey.