The opening ceremony for the Asian Universities Alliance Splendor of Asian Cultural Heritage Photo Exhibition took place on September 26 at the New Era Civilization Practice Center in Honey Park, Futian District, Shenzhen. Sun Huaizhong, deputy director of the Shenzhen Foreign Affairs Office, and other distinguished guests from municipal and district offices attended the event. Wu Xiaofeng, the SIGS CPC Committee Secretary, and Zhang Chuanjie, secretary of the Asian Universities Alliance (AUA) and associate dean of SIGS, also attended the ceremony along with faculty, staff, and students from SIGS.

The photo exhibition includes a collection of 100 exceptional photos selected from the AUA Splendor of Asian Cultural Heritage Photo Contest, which was held earlier this year. The contest was hosted by AUA and organized by Tsinghua SIGS. It was also a part of the event for 2023 Shenzhen Design Week. Nearly 100 students from all fifteen AUA member universities submitted over 300 photographs. Among the submitted photos, twelve prize-winning and six honorably mentioned photographs were chosen by a panel of experts.

To share with the world the splendor of Asia’s cultural heritage as well as each country’s efforts to promote and protect it, AUA and Tsinghua SIGS cooperated with the Shenzhen Foundation for International Exchange and Cooperation, Xiangmihu Sub-district Office, and the Xiangmihu Street New Era Civilization Practice Institute to organize the AUA Splendor of Asian Cultural Heritage Photo Exhibition.

In his remarks at the event, Zhang Chuanjie, secretary of the Asian Universities Alliance (AUA) and associate dean of SIGS, introduced the background of AUA and its importance to Tsinghua’s global strategy. He expressed his hope that these kinds of events will give young scholars the opportunity to exchange ideas about the common challenges faced by Asian countries and help them to reflect on a multicultural and harmonious path forward.

In his remarks, SIGS CPC Committee Secretary Wu Xiaofeng expressed the school’s hope that events like the Splendor of Asian Cultural Heritage Photo Contest and Exhibition will promote understanding and experiences of diverse cultures amongst students in Asia and around the world, provide a platform for cultural exchange, and help cultivate more outstanding youths with a global perspective and care for humankind. He also thanked the Shenzhen Foreign Affairs Office, the Publicity Department of the CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee, the Shenzhen Foundation for International Exchange and Cooperation, and the Xiangmihu Sub-district Office.

In his speech at the opening ceremony, Sun Huaizhong, deputy director of the Shenzhen Foreign Affairs Office, thanked Tsinghua SIGS for bringing the exhibition to Shenzhen. He expressed that the exhibition is not only an international cultural exchange platform but also an important force in promoting symbiosis and mutual learning among Asian civilizations. He also expressed his hope that this exhibition can demonstrate Shenzhen's inclusiveness and creativity to more people and contribute to China's participation in fostering a community with a shared future for both Asia and all humanity.

After the speeches, Zheng Kaiyuan, one of the first-prize winners of the photo contest and master’s student at Tsinghua SIGS, offered his reflections on photography and cultural heritage via pre-recorded video.

The Splendor of Asian Cultural Heritage Photo Contest and Exhibition are part of the AUA Embracing Asian Diversity Photo Contest Series and is an important annual cross-cultural communication event for Tsinghua SIGS.

The AUA Splendor of Asian Cultural Heritage Photo Exhibition is a traveling exhibition in Shenzhen. The New Era Civilization Practice Center in Honey Park in Futian District is its first venue. The exhibition will close there on October 18. The second venue will be Xiangmihu Flower Wonderland in Honey Park from October 20 to November 16. The exhibition is free and open to the public.

Writer: Alena Shish

Editors: Yuan Yang, Li Han