Through diverse events from visual displays to musical performances, the Serbian Cultural Center in Beijing has been fostering cultural exchanges between the two nations.
Located in Beijing's renowned 798 Art Zone, this cultural center annually hosts a variety of events, such as concerts and art exhibitions, aimed at deepening Chinese guests' appreciation of Serbian culture. After Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Serbia in 2016, the Serbian government initiated a program whereby its art experts began visiting the center monthly for cultural exchange activities.
"The Serbian Ministry of Culture will make plans for us. Every year we have nine exhibitions and at least one performance or play every month," said Tatjana Soldat, director of the Culture Center of Serbia in Beijing.
Driven by a growing interest in Chinese language and culture, Serbia has witnessed an increasing number of Chinese learners in recent years.
"I began to learn Chinese in 1989. China and Serbia are brother countries. My father is a former party member of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia, he has always felt a deep connection with China. My daughter grew up in China. Having learned it in kindergarten, her Chinese is very good," said Soldat.
"When I was in primary school, a Chinese teacher came to our school. The moment I saw Chinese characters, heard traditional Chinese music, and, of course, Chinese calligraphy, I was deeply attracted to it. I am very grateful for the Serbian Cultural Center in Beijing. I am glad Chinese people have this opportunity to experience Serbian culture. It's important that we learn and know more about each other," said Nada Simic, a Serbian student in Peking University, during her visit to the center.
Wei Yujun, a Chinese student at the Communication University of China, frequently visits the Serbian Cultural Center for its wonderful music performance. "With our two countries enjoying visa-free travel between each other, it's the perfect opportunity to introduce more friends to this cultural gem. We should further connect and communicate," said Wei.
In addition, the center is not just for Serbian and Chinese people. It welcomes visitors from across the globe, fostering an environment of cultural exchange and mutual understanding.
"It is amazing to come here, especially meeting and learning different experiences, different cultures and different things. It's amazing," said Mazhar Abbas, a Pakistani Ph.D. student at the Beijing University of Chemical Technology.
In addition, the Chinese Cultural Center in Belgrade is also in full operation, reinforcing the ironclad friendship between Serbia and China.
Serbian Cultural Center in Beijing fosters bilateral exchanges through diverse activities
A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi made a hard landing in Iran's northwestern province of East Azerbaijan on Sunday, state-run IRIB TV reported.
Raisi’s helicopter was part of a convoy of three helicopters which was on its way from Khoda Afarin County, where Raisi had attended the inauguration ceremony of a storage dam along with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev, to the provincial capital Tabriz where Raisi was scheduled to attend the inauguration of a petrochemical complex, according to the report.
"On May 19 local time, the helicopter carrying Iranian President Raisi made a hard landing in East Azerbaijan in northwestern Iran. According to our investigation in Iran, the incident took place near the Varzaghan area of East Azerbaijan. From the live broadcast on Iranian national television, we can see that the entire area of the accident site is in a state of severe foggy weather, which caused great trouble to the search and rescue work. In addition to Iranian President Raisi, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the governor of East Azerbaijan Province, and other officials and entourage were also on the helicopter," said Li Jiannan, a CCTV reporter in Iran.
Speaking to IRIB TV, Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi attributed the helicopter's rough landing to the unfavorable weather conditions, which he said also impacted search and rescue work.
The head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society Pirhossein Kolivand told IRIB TV that 40 rapid reaction teams had rushed to the scene and were monitoring the region while noting that there were difficulties in reaching the scene by land or by air due to the mountainous terrain and the bad weather conditions.
Kolivand, however, said drones were being used to search the region.
Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Baqeri has ordered the army, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and the police to make all-out efforts to search for and rescue the president and his accompanying team, said the Iran Newspaper.
Speaking to IRIB TV, Iranian Health Minister Bahram Einollahi said medical teams had been stationed near the possible crash site.
Iranian government spokesman Ali Bahadori Jahromi said in a post on social media platform X that Vice President Mohsen Mansouri and several cabinet members were on their way to Tabriz after a meeting in Tehran.
Following the incident, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei expressed his hope that President Raisi and accompanying officials would be able to return home safely, saying that everyone should pray for them. Iranian people do not need to worry, and the work of the country and the government will not be affected, he said.
Following reports of the incident, leaders of neighboring countries, including Azerbaijan and Iraq, expressed concern over the developments and said they were ready to assist in search and rescue efforts.
The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on the same day, saying that Türkiye is following the incident and hopes that Iranian President Raisi, Foreign Minister Abdollahian and other Iranian officials are safe and healthy. Türkiye has taken action to provide support for the search and rescue operation, the statement said.
Iranian president's helicopter makes hard landing in NW province
