BEIJING, April 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — A news report from CRI Online:
Group photo of officials and staff members
On April 20, the 2025 Belt and Road Creativity and Sustainable Development Seminar was held in Beijing. It was co-hosted by the International Center for Creativity and Sustainable Development (ICCSD), and the School of International and Public Affairs at Jilin University, and supported by ZGC Science Fiction Industry Innovation Center, and Beijing City of Design Development Co., Ltd. The Seminar was attended by 16 officials from foreign ministries, television stations, education ministries, and other departments of 11 countries, such as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the United Republic of Tanzania, the Republic of Kenya, the Republic of Ghana, the Togolese Republic, and the Republic of Sierra Leone.
Lecture was given by Yang Baozhen, Member of the Advisory Committee of ICCSD, International Expert Committee Member of the China Association for Small & Medium Commercial Enterprises (CASMCE), and former consul of the Chinese Embassy in France
Yang Baozhen, guest speaker of the Seminar, gave a lecture revolving around “China’s Implementation of the U.N.’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.” She introduced China’s methods, approaches and practical cases of poverty alleviation in detail from different aspects, such as economic initiatives, policies and mechanisms, public wellbeing, and fairness in education. Her speech vividly presented the core concept and values of Chinese modernization. Meanwhile, the lecture focused on the cooperation between China and Africa, sharing the fruitful achievements made by the two sides in infrastructure building, agricultural development, and medical assistance. In addition, Yang Baozhen called for enhanced international cooperation among different countries, so as to jointly help realize the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The African officials highly recognized China’s experience in poverty relief, and were amazed by the country’s enormous achievements in the field. They believed that China not only reminds the world of the importance and feasibility of poverty reduction, but also shares its courage and experience. In their view, China’s valuable experience in poverty alleviation has inspired new strategies for tackling poverty worldwide. They also praised China fulfilling its responsibility to promote global development as a responsible major country, and contributing to the common prosperity of the world. The officials emphasized China’s sustainable strategic planning in which continuous efforts have been put into poverty relief, and they thought that is inspiring. Some of them hoped they could learn from China’s experience in light of their respective national conditions, so as to help develop their countries.
In the afternoon, the officials went on a field trip to the Shougang Park. They visited the “RE International Center for Digital Creativity.” The Center is a digital museum-like institution displaying cultural heritage based on the transformation of the Park’s industrial relics. Using technologies like holography, digital sound field control, and extended reality (XR), it transforms the former industrial silo into a cool time machine. The officials marveled at exhibitions—the Infinite Iron City and Return to the Old Summer Palace, embracing the past and present of the Shougang Park and the splendid Summer Palace in fascinating lights and shadows.
International officials visited an exhibition named Return to the Old Summer Palace
Rumbidzai Mwalilino, a Malawian official, spoke highly of the Shougang Park using technology to conserve cultural heritage. For her, the Park reproduces historical scenes through virtual reality (VR), and artificial intelligence (AI), creating a more vivid format to communicate cultural heritage and a lively and appreciable carrier of cultural memories for the young generation. She said that inspires cultural inheritance and protection in the digital era.
International officials experienced an exhibition named “Huanju – Multiverse Immersive Sci-Fi Exhibition”
As technological waves emerge, the deep integration of culture and technology leads to the creation of innovation and changes. New cultural sectors are appearing, with the cultural industry chain continuously extending. The sci-fi industry is booming, causing cutting-edge technology such as VR, augmented reality (AR), and AI to change the way we interact with the digital world. In the metaverse digital experience complex at Shougang Park, the delegation of officials experienced an exhibition named “Huanju – Multiverse Immersive Sci-Fi Exhibition.” From Dinosaur Crisis to Rhythm Agent and Star Trek, seven sci-fi planets provided the officials with a cyber sci-fi show, leading them into a magnificent and wonderful sci-fi world.
Koroma Mark Thaimu, an official from the Republic of Sierra Leone, pointed out that China has always attached great importance to cultural inheritance while promoting the digital transformation, and has protected its unique culture and infused development with long-lasting vitality by embedding local culture into technological innovation. He planned to bring China’s experience in integrating technology and culture to Africa, hoping to harness technological innovation to support the preservation and continued development of cultural heritage.
It is said that the Seminar focuses on core topics, such as creative design, technological innovation, urban renewal and green transformation. Through special lectures, case discussion, and immersive field research, it shares China’s exploration and experience in creativity and sustainable development with officials from countries of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and other relevant nations. This program builds a platform for mutual learning among civilizations based on creative endowment. It shares China’s sustainable development pattern that incorporates traditions into modern technology, and encourages officials to develop adaptable solutions according to their respective national conditions, so as to help achieve the global SDGs.
