A new momentum in Greece-China cultural relations

Greek Minister of Culture and Sports, Ms Lydia Koniordou concluded, on 24 September 2017, an official visit to China (Shanghai, Dunhuang, Beijing, 17-24 September, 2017), which yielded significant results, creating a new momentum for the future.

Ms Koniordou, signed with her Chinese counterpart, Luo Shugang, a “Memorandum of Cooperation for the joint organization of the Year of Cultural Exchanges between Greece and China. The two sides expressed their mutual desire to continue the successful cooperation and to set up a five-year action plan and partnerships that will allow the two countries to broaden their relations. “The Memorandum of Cooperation is not just for the current year; it was a common desire to extend it to 2018. Not only that, but to carry on in the years to come, which shows how important the cooperation and exchange between two countries with such important and ancient civilizations is” explained the Minister.

In addition to cultural exchanges, Koniordou and Luo agreed to tap into the new momentum created by the One Belt One Road initiative in culture.

The Minister met with the Director of the Dunhuang Academy. During the meeting, the two officials discussed the possibilities for exchanges of exhibitions and the promotion of collaboration between conservators, the development of joint projects, educational exchanges and the organization of a conference. Ms Koniordou was the keynote speaker at the launch of the “2nd Silk Road Culture Expo” in the historic city of Dunhuang, on the Silk Road.

During her visit to Shanghai, the Culture Minister inaugurated the Greek Theatre Research Center, as part of the Shanghai Academy of Theatres (STA). Earlier, the Minister had met with the Academy’s administration and teaching staff. At the meeting, the Minister noted that she would seek the strengthening of exchanges of teaching staff and students between STA and the network of ancient drama in Greece. She further underlined the emphasis placed by the Greek side on translations, especially of contemporary plays, under a related Memorandum of Understanding recently signed by the two countries and expressed support for the exchange of theatre directors in order to realize mixed productions.

In Beijing, the Minister gave a lecture on Ancient Drama in the amphitheatre of the famous Theatre Academy of the Chinese capital and discussed with the Academy's Director the prospect of exchanges and collaborations in the field of drama education, especially in the context of the newly established International Ancient Drama Network.

In Beijing, Ms Lydia Koniordou met with Zhou Yuyuan, President of China’s National Theatre with whom she signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the National Theatres of Greece and China, which will be implemented in 2018. In addition, they decided to extend the collaboration of the two theatres through a five-year joint action plan.

During her stay in Beijing, the Culture Minister inaugurated a “Tribute to Modern Greek Cinema”. The Greek film week was launched with the award-winning film “Little England”, by director Pantelis Voulgaris. Lydia Koniordou also met with the deputy director of the Forbidden City Palace Museum, with whom she discussed the possibility of exhibitions exchanges.

A special exhibition titled “The Body-The Soul-The Place. Contemporary Greek Artists”, by the Thessaloniki State Museum of Contemporary Art, is being hosted, from 24 September, at the National Art Museum of China (NAMOC), as part of the 7th Beijing Biennale of Contemporary Art (24/9 -15/10/2017). The exhibition was inaugurated by the Minister of Culture and Sports Ms Lydia Koniordou on 24 September. Ms Koniordou was the keynote speaker – and the sole foreign speaker – at the exhibition and a guest of honour at the event.

Moreover, addressing numerous Chinese print and electronic media, during a Press Conference organized by the Press and Communication Office of the Embassy of Greece in Beijing, the Minister underlined the importance of the Year of Greece-China Cultural Cooperation and Cultural Industries’ Exchanges towards enhancing cooperation in all fields of cultural production and creation. Ms. Koniordou referred also to the agreements related to educational programs and activities in the field of culture, especially for young people, and highlighted the necessity of cultural exchanges as a tool promoting mutual understanding between the peoples of the two nations.

International Forum on the Protection of Ancient Civilizations

The General Secretary of the Greek Culture Ministry, Ms Maria Andreadaki-Vlazaki, was the keynote speaker at the plenary session of the “Forum on Protecting the World’s Ancient Civilizations” (19-21 September, 2017) that was held in The Forbidden City at the initiative of the Palace Museum and its General Director, Dr. Shan. Ms Vlazaki made a comprehensive presentation of the interventions of the Greek Archaeological Service in various archaeological sites, of new findings as well as new ways of conservation. Various roundtable discussions were held in the framework of the Forum, in which both the General Secretary of the Culture Ministry and the President of the Acropolis Museum, Dr Dimitrios Pantermalis, participated. The latter, in his speech, expanded on the topic of “Preserving and highlighting the exhibits of the Acropolis Museum in new ways and approaches”. In addition, in his capacity as President of the Acropolis Museum, he signed a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Forbidden City Palace Museum and the Acropolis Museum.