Intl school honors fine cultural tradition in festival

Students onstage create a feast for the eyes during Aidi International School’s cultural festival held at the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing on June 12. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

With the theme of "Paying Tribute to Chinese Traditional Culture", a cultural festival organized by Aidi International School, a leader in international education in China, took place at the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing on June 12.

The festival consisted of three parts: the summer music concert Global Citizens with a Chinese Identity, the cultural salon National Treasure Keeper, and the art exhibition Face of China.

According to Lydia Liu, founder of the Aidi International School, the brilliant performances and works of art from students are the epitome of their careful studies in Chinese culture and world culture.

"For Chinese international students, learning about Chinese culture can help them establish their own cultural identity, while world cultural studies can broaden their horizons."

During the 100-minute summer music concert, a variety of programs featuring music, dance, choir and opera were presented, offering audiences a visual feast from the very beginning to the end.

For instance, Chinese author, playwright and singer Wu Shuang, together with several primary school students, performed the melodrama My Stage, the climax of the concert.

"Those things belonging to a nation should be shared with the world," said Wu. "As I have lived in foreign countries for more than 10 years, I deeply understand the importance of mixing Eastern civilization with the West." She shared her hope that more and more children can act as a bridge between different cultures.

Also, Geng Shuo, who participated in China Central Television's reality show National Treasure, gave the audience a salon on traditional cultural education.

From his perspective, visiting the museum is a practical and effective way for students to learn about cultural heritage. "When students see invaluable ancient relics with their own eyes, rather than through textbooks, they can have a direct feeling about our ancestors' aesthetic taste and spiritual world."

At the same time, a highlight of the cultural festival was the Face of China art exhibition. Aidi School sets out to present China's image through 100 Chinese faces.

Among those paintings, viewers can see a girl wearing traditional ethnic costumes, an elderly man who experienced the vicissitudes of life, a fashionable modern figure and the average people around us.

For the students, the paintings are not just portraits. They also encompass emotions, relationships, beliefs and many other connotations. And each person can discover their own understanding of China's people, culture and character.

"China has played a more prominent role in the international community these days," said Liu. "Raising talents that consolidate cultural confidence and embrace the world's diversity at the same time are what the international community longs for. Being a global citizen with Chinese identity is the educational philosophy the school has always had and it remains one of the vital social responsibilities the international school should shoulder."

Students and Wu Shuang (center) onstage create a feast for the eyes during Aidi International School’s cultural festival held at the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing on June 12. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The art exhibition Face of China [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The cultural salon National Treasure Keeper [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]