The 2025 "Century-old Lilac Poetry Fair" was launched in Beijing on Friday, bringing together over 200 poets and poetry enthusiast across the world, to showcase the charm of Chinese culture and foster cultural exchange.
Co-sponsored by China Media Group and Beijing Xicheng District People's Government, the annual poetry event's opening ceremony featured cross-generational performances, with actors from different age groups sharing the stage.
The performances at the opening ceremony blending music, dance and poetry in creative ways, presented a visual and cultural feast for audiences. A Global Chinese Poetry Collection initiative was also launched at the event.
Various cultural zones, including a literature salon, recitation hub and poetry-and-music lounge, have been set up for international guests who highlight the importance of cultural exchange.
"Cultural exchange is very important, when we understand each other's cultures we have a better understanding for the others. And also nowadays, especially China is opening up on different countries. It's not only the culture, but we can cooperate in different sides," said a poet from Morocco.
"There are many differences in international society nowadays, but we can also find ways to communicate, so it is very important to enhance exchanges between countries," said another poet from Colombia.
The Lilac Poetry Fair is a traditional cultural event that has been passed down since the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) to this day, spanning centuries. Notable Chinese literary figures like Ji Xiaolan, Gu Tinglin, Gong Zizhen, and Lin Zexu have all been part of this historic tradition.
Poetry fair held in Beijing to promote Chinese culture, enhance cultural exchange
At least four people were killed, and ten others injured after Israel attacked a hotel in the Lebanese capital Beirut early on Sunday, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said.
Israeli forces launched a drone attack at dawn, targeting a room at the Ramada hotel in the heart of the city. Following the strike, Israel said that the targets were key commanders of the Lebanon Corps of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force.
The drone attack was the first Israeli attack on central Beirut since hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah resumed, according to media reports.
The Ramada Hotel is located in Beirut's Raouche area, a popular tourist district near the landmark Pigeon Rocks along the Mediterranean coast.
All the windows in the targeted hotel room were shattered, and several adjacent rooms and the exterior facade of the hotel building were also damaged by the airstrike, according to a China Media Group reporter at the scene.
Witnesses said the area had been considered safe, and many displaced people fleeing southern Lebanon and the southern suburbs of Beirut had taken refuge here, with some staying in hotels and others sleeping in their cars along nearby roads.
"At night, it was quiet until 1:35; there were no sounds of drones or anything at all. Suddenly, we heard something like a shell—very loud. We thought it was a warplane bombing in the area. We ran and saw smoke coming from the hotel, and glass was scattered in the streets. There was black smoke and dust. We ran to the Ramada hotel on the fourth floor, where flames were coming out. People began to exit, ambulances and information branch personnel arrived, and crowds formed," said Shawki Sharifi, an eyewitness.
Another eyewitness said the area was blocked after the attack, and the injured were taken to hospitals for treatment. Authorities said that there were fatalities at the scene.
On Sunday evening, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued a statement, saying that the Israeli Navy carried out a precision strike on Beirut, targeting five senior commanders of Iran's IRGC Quds Force who were meeting at a hotel in the city.
The IDF said that the five commanders, "hiding in a civilian hotel," were all killed in the operation. The commanders had served in the Lebanese and Palestinian branches of IRGC and were involved in providing funding and intelligence to Hezbollah and Hamas, the IDF said in the statement.
The Lebanese authorities have not provided more details about the victims or the incident.
At least 4 killed, 10 injured in Israeli strike on hotel in Beirut
