Heze city's culture under spotlight in Brazil

A variety of cultural heritage products from Heze, a city of East China's Shandong province recently grabbed the spotlight at an exhibition in Colombo, a city in the Southern Brazilian state of Parana.

Among the cultural heritage products were wood carvings, Lu embroidery artworks, paper-cuttings, traditional Chinese clothing and straw paintings, calligraphy and painting and postcards.

The exhibition "Friendly Shandong, Remarkable Shandong", which was hosted by the Heze municipal government, showcased the city's cultural products to local government departments, enterprises and schools in Colombo with the aim of strengthening cultural exchange between the two sides.

Among the most eye-catching attractions were the dough sculptures and wooden carvings. These tourism products from Caoxian county in Heze are also recognized as representative projects of China's national-level intangible cultural heritage.

Helder Lazarotto, mayor of Colombo, said that he was impressed by Heze's beauty and its high level of urban and industrial development. He also expressed hope that the two sides would deepen cultural connections and launch more exchange projects to foster deeper mutual understanding in the future.

In a video message that was screened at the opening ceremony, Zhang Peng, vice-mayor of Heze, introduced the historical heritage and cultural charm of Shandong and Heze.

He said Heze attaches great importance to friendly exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation with Colombo. Zhang expressed hope the two sides will strengthen their cooperation in the fields of economy and trade, manufacturing, and culture and tourism.

Heze is renowned as the Peony Capital of China and is a hub for traditional Chinese opera, calligraphy, martial arts and folk arts. Colombo is known for its scenic landscapes, temperate climate and ample rainfall, all of which have helped its agriculture and wine industries thrive.

The two established sister city ties in December 2006. Over the years, they have strengthened their exchanges in culture, commerce and trade.

In 2022, a series of cultural exchange activities was jointly held. Nine exquisite meticulous brushwork peony paintings were presented to Colombo city on June 6 last year, fostering mutual cultural exchanges.

An international symposium on the peony and grape industries was also held online, providing a platform for Heze and Colombo cities to explore more collaborative opportunities in fields such as agriculture, culture and tourism.