On March 9, 2022, during the "Two Sessions"of NPC and CPPCC and 2022 Paralympic Games,Beijing International Peace Culture Foundation, Beijing Municipal Commerce Bureau and Beijing Cuisine Association jointly organized the special international food culture event of "Snack Art along Silk Road " during Beijing Consumption Season, which was held in Beijing Peace Garden Museum to promote peace dialogue,international exchanges and cooperation in food, cuisine and agriculture,dating for the delicious foods in the "double Olympic city".
More than 60 guests from 23 countries attended the event, including diplomats from Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Pakistan, Jamaica, Maldives, Sao Tome and Principe, South Korea, Israel, Singapore, Japan, North Korea, Tunisia, Morocco, Germany, UK, Russia, Nepal and Costa Rica Embassies in China , the director of East Asia Representative Office of IFRC, chargé d'affaire of the Arab League in China and representatives of food, cuisine and agriculture related industries in Beijing .
Professor Li Ruohong, President of China World Peace Foundation and Beijing International Peace Culture Foundation, said in his speech that 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the Convention for the protection of the world cultural and natural heritage and also the decade anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between many countries and China. China is holding international Paralympic Games and the "two sessions" of NPC and CPPCC while Beijing is also building an international consumption capital. Seven years ago, together with UNESCO, we created ten themes Atlas of "Silk Road" cultural interaction, one of which is food ,cuisine and agriculture. Even in the special period of epidemic changing world , the two Chinese proverbs are still not out of date. One is "food is the most important thing for people" and the other is "to make friends with delicious food". Today's event not only introduces Chinese traditional snacks, but also hopes the interaction of food between China and other countries could create a model of peace dialogue for the international community under the support of UNESCO, a warm and sustainable window for inheriting and benefiting different nationalities and cultures in the world, and disseminating national food culture and related industries.
H. E. Mr. Parakhat Durdyev, Turkmenistan's ambassador to China, said in his speech that“Destrehan” is not only a feast, but rather culmination and expression of culture, way of self-behavior, good neighbourhood, hospitality and way of life. Masterly prepared dishes with the pinch of the soul of a chef can break barriers and ice, establish friendly relations, enforce allied commitments.
H.E. Mr. Dumitru Braghis, Moldovan ambassador to China, said in his speech that Republic of Moldova and China have a long history of friendship and cooperation, as we celebrate 30 years of diplomatic relations this year. And even if geographically we are not very close, I am proud to mention that today, relations between Republic of Moldova and China are on the rise,marked by excellent political, economic, cultural and academic cooperation. Snacks are an integral part of the Chinese culture and bonding of different festive season that it’s hard to imagine China without them.,The food cultural exchanges between China and other countries will surely promote the friendship between the peoples.
Mr.Yun Cheng, President of Beijing Cuisine Association, said that at the just concluded 24th Winter Olympic Games, Chinese cuisine was unanimously praised by athletes and staff from all over the world, especially delicious foods and snacks such as Beijing roast duck, dumplings, bean made bun and Ma Tuan. The 16 catering hot words in "To look at China with catering hot words " jointly released by Beijing Cuisine Association and meituan have also become hot topics...whose purpose is in the hope that friends from all countries could fall in love with Chinese cuisine and Chinese snacks, so as to understand Chinese culture and help Beijing build an international consumption center city with food business cards.
At the event, diplomats from various countries in China, representatives of international organizations and the organizers jointly established the "international food culture alliance" and jointly launched the proposal for international food culture cooperation. It is proposed that 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of UNESCO Convention on the protection of the world cultural and natural heritage .we jointly propose to carry out a dialogue on food culture among countries under the theme of greenness, inclusiveness, solidarity and health, to inherit, disseminate and exchange food cultural heritage. "Food is the first necessity of the people" , A Shared Peace&Destiny for all.
Many embassies in China have jointly expressed their willingness to establish a cooperation mechanism to carry out a series of international food exchange projects in 2022, which will collect and display the food culture, world heritage and intangible heritage of different countries and regions, so as to promote the double circulation of domestic and international food and agricultural industry.
The Embassy of Turkmenistan in China has brought Turkmenistan's folk snacks ,together with more than 40 beautiful delicious snacks and more than 10 unique skill demonstrations of snacks from Quanjude, Wanfeng snacks, Jinfeng catering, Royal cuisine Museum of Yuxiandu, ChaTang Li, Juqi, LaoShe Tea house and other enterprises. It vividly interprets the colorful chapter of "Beijing Consumption Spring Song Beijing Snacks Festival",and presents a unique snack cultural feast of "Snack Art and China Beijing Style" to international friends. Quanjude technician's performance of stretched longxumian as thin as hair, Wanfeng snack's sugar coated gourd, sugar painting, donkey rolling, Aiwowo, old Beijing peddling performance, etc, which helps people experience the Beijing flavor cultural scene and praised by friends from all over the world. The Palace costumes changing experience of Yuxiandu and the kungfu tea ceremony performance of the tea master of LaoShe Tea house attracted the participation of women.
At the same time, in order to attract more customers, enterprises such as Ziguangyuan, Western Mahua, Songhelou, Edoqian Japanese food, Quanjude, Yuxiandu and Juqi prepared nearly 100 sets of gift packages of "exclusive consumer vouchers for Beijing consumer season" and presented them to the guests.
Mr. Chen Liansheng, a Beijing snack expert at his 80s, explained the "past and present stories" of Beijing snack culture vividly, which help friends from all countries can personally experience the broad and profound cultural heritage of snack culture. Mr. Chen, together with Jinfeng catering copmany ,presented the new book "Beijing snacks and special cuisine" to friends from all over the world.
It is said that this event is sponsored by Belt.China,org.cn, Meituan group and Yanjing beer.
