The second Dialogue of Friendship Associations of Countries With Ancient Civilizations opens during the sixth Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province, Sept. 6, 2023.

The sixth Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo, themed "Connecting the World: Cultural Exchanges and Mutual Learning Among Civilizations," kicked off in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province, on September 6, 2023.

Featuring different activities including forums, exhibitions, performances and investment promotion meetings, the expo has attracted more than 1,200 guests from over 50 countries, regions and international organizations.

First launched in 2016, the Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo is China's one and only comprehensive expo that focuses on international cultural exchanges among the partner countries of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Jewel of Silk Road

Over 2,000 years ago, a Chinese diplomat and explorer named Zhang Qian began his expedition to the Western Regions and opened a trade route that later became the Silk Road, where oriental and occidental civilizations merged.