The 2024 Yangtze River Culture Festival commenced on Saturday in Zhangjiagang City of east China's Jiangsu Province, featuring a variety of cultural events that delve into the river's rich cultural heritage and its profound influence on the culture, economy, and environment of surrounding regions.
People from 13 provinces, regions, and municipalities along the Yangtze River have gathered at the grand event to jointly explore the rich cultural heritage and contemporary significance of China's longest river, fostering regional integration and promoting mutual learning.
Themed "Integration, Promotion, and Sharing," this year's festival focuses on five main topics, namely cultural relics, intangible cultural heritage, artistic charm, travel, and openness.
The festival features 14 events to enhance cooperation from the source to the mouth of the Yangtze River.
"In the process of heritage conservation, we emphasize the protection of the heritage itself along with the restoration of its surrounding environment, gradually transforming this heritage into cultural landscapes, which is crucial for us today," said Zhang Hongyan, a professor at Nanjing University.
One of the highlights of this year's festival is the 2024 International Humor Art Week, featuring performers who entertain with acts such as crosstalk comedy.
The "Guardians of the Yangtze" Intangible Cultural Heritage and Folklore Fair, held from Saturday to Monday, is also a must-see event.
Nearly 100 'market-goers,' including numerous intangible cultural heritage craftsmen, are showcasing top-notch artifacts and delicacies, fostering a lively cultural and tourism atmosphere that blends exhibitions, performances, and entertainment.
The festival is set to run through November.
2024 Yangtze River Culture Festival kicks off in east China city
A major port in northern Venezuela came under U.S. airstrikes in the early hours of January 3, which caused extensive damage to civilian infrastructure, destroyed critical medical supplies in a warehouse, and severely impacted centuries-old cultural heritage sites, according to local residents.
The La Guaira Port, a vital hub for imports that support daily life in the region, was heavily damaged during the attack.
Large quantities of medical supplies stored at the port were destroyed. A historic cultural building dating back for some 300 years was also badly damaged by the bombardment.
Residents living near the port recalled the terrifying scenes as explosions shook nearby neighborhoods.
Humberto Bolivar, who lives in a community separated from the port by only a main road, said the blast waves shattered his home's windows, while stray shrapnel struck the water tank on his roof. According to reports, three missiles were fired at the port that night.
Bolivar said that beyond material losses, he is most concerned about the psychological impact on his children, who remain too frightened to leave their home days after the attack.
"The United States invaded our country. The children were frightened. This is not good for them, because it leaves some children with psychological trauma. They do not want to go to school or leave the house, because they are afraid that something worse might happen. We truly do not want this to happen to our country," he said.
Apart from civilian facilities, local cultural heritage site was also affected.
The La Guaira state government building, a structure with nearly 300 years of history and once served as the site of Venezuela's first national customs office, was struck by the force of the explosions.
Windows of the building were shattered, and furniture scattered across the floor.
"As people of La Guaira, we feel deep pain. Our cultural heritage has been bombed. We are living in constant anxiety and suffering, and life can no longer be the same as it was before," said a local named Henry Cumares.
The U.S. side has claimed the airstrikes targeted warehouses allegedly used to store narcotics. However, locals refuted such accusation.
"According to what Donald Trump said, they bombed this place using the excuse that the warehouses here were used to store drugs at the port. But based on the video released by our governor, these warehouses that were burned contained medicine for kidney patients and foods. Many people depend on these supplies to survive. I think the bombing is extremely despicable," said a local resident named Alejandro Capriles.
US strike hits Venezuelan port, wrecking medical supplies, heritage building
