On the afternoon of May 26, China World Peace Foundation, Beijing International Peace Culture Foundation, Tunisian Embassy in China and the representative office of the Tunisian National Tourism Administration jointly held the "Charming Tunisia" theme day event in Peace Garden Museum and jointly launched the "initiative of promoting the development of tourism and food culture exchanges between China and Tunisia".
More than 80 envoys from Tunisia, Costa Rica, Namibia, El Salvador, Belgium, Greece and other countries, as well as representatives from the tourism, cuisine, education and youth sectors, attended the event. They all enjoyed the tourism scenery and delicious food of Tunisia, and the interactive development of cultural tourism represented by "Delicious Food" in the post epidemic era was deeply exchanged.
H.E.Mr. DHIA Khaled, Tunisian Ambassador to China, said Tunisia is an inclusive and enthusiastic country, a place for cultural exchanges and a place for the integration of diverse civilizations and religions. Since last year, although the world has been suffering health crisis, Tunisia's Covid-19 vaccine injection has been launched in March and people being vaccinated on demand in an orderly manner. In addition, the Tunisian government has issued many social and economic decisions to maintain employment and development of tourism. Today’s event will enrich bilateral exchanges and deepen cooperation in tourism culture between the two countries.
Mr. Anouar chetoui, chief representative of the Tunisian National Tourism Administration in China, mentioned that the Tunisian Ministry of tourism and handicrafts has started to implement the "Ready and Safe" tourism industry standard which all tourism practitioners should follow . The detailed standards refer to the suggestions of the World Health Organization and the opinions of professional tourists. Inbound tourists need to abide by strict epidemic prevention measures, and provide nucleic acid test negative certificate before entering the country. Outbound activities and visits need to be conducted by tour groups. Tunisia has successively received 82 flights from Russia, Belarus, Czech Republic, Poland, Luxembourg and other countries. Although the number of inbound tourists is far less than the number of regular visitors in Tunisia, it symbolizes that Tunisian tourism is gradually recovering.
In his speech, Dr. Li Ruohong, President of China World Peace Foundation and Beijing International Peace Culture Foundation, said that,from the ancient Silk Road to present “Belt&Road”,both China and Tunisia have many world heritages and intangible cultural heritages, and the friendship between the two peoples could be traced back long in the history. China World Peace Foundation has long been friendly and cooperative with the Tunisian government and people. I myself, heading delegations of Chinese government officials and overseas entrepreneurs, have also visited Tunisia for many times. The Tunisian museums and historical sites of ancient Carthage civilization, the sunny sand beach and desert oasis in the Mediterranean, beautiful, inclusive and ecological diversity, especially the historical figures Ibn Calden and the famous poet Sharpey impressed all my partners in the delegations a lot. Those stories are also recorded in my book"China NGO"
The purpose of above mentioned story is to introduce another one, which is called Cuisine Culture interaction of along the silk road. Delicious food is the embodiment of folk customs, it can not be limited in one country, in one era. Although different country systems,dimensions, cultural environments, aesthetic values and living habits, are rough, delicate and romantic differently, the combination of humanities and technology, the combination of food and agriculture demonstrate to us its eternal value and universal cognition, which proves that cuisine culture has inherited its charm and cultural accomplishment.The delicacy and uncertainty of global pandemic could not prevent people's hunger for spread of love and delicious food.
At this event, four chefs from China and Tunisia, namely, chef Hafedh of Tunisian Embassy in China, chef Fu Xinyun of Beijing Peace Garden Museum , chef Zhao Xinlin of Beijing Baijia courtyard of Beijing Cuisine Association and chef Feng Derui of Nanlaishun of Beijing Xiangda, jointly signed and launched the "initiative to promote the development of tourism and food culture exchange between China and Tunisia", taking "peace + 1" as the path, by way of food exchanges, regular or irregular food salons, tasting meetings and other forms, jointly carry out food culture exchange activities, and call on more partners to join in, so as to enhance the international influence and multicultural exchange publicity and promotion. To launch various online and offline cultural and tourism activities and peace public welfare projects could protect, inherit and disseminate world heritage and intangible cultural heritage in a sustainable way and promote the world peace process.
The students from Beijing International Studies University also brought Tunisian poetry recitation and a little chorus performance in the Arabic version of Gardenia Blossom, which was warmly welcomed by the guests.
