Beijing (People's Daily) - The Belt and Road News Network (BRNN) Media Workshop kicked off in Beijing on Monday. Fifty senior editors and journalists from 46 mainstream media outlets from 26 countries in Latin America and Africa attended the opening ceremony.

Foreign journalists at the opening ceremony of the BRNN Media Workshop. (Photo: People's Daily/Li Guoliang)

Jiang Jianguo, deputy head of Publicity Department of Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said that China's media industry has earnestly implemented Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, delivering positive energy and inspiring people to work together to realize the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Media serves as an important carrier of civilizations and creates an essential bond of understanding and friendship among people of all countries.

"To enhance dialogue and exchanges among media organizations of various countries and to learn from each other is an important way to realize the common development of the world media industry and better fulfill the responsibilities and missions of the press," Jiang added.

(Photo: People's Daily/Li Guoliang)

Tuo Zhen, editor-in-chief of the People's Daily, also made remarks at the ceremony.

President Xi Jinping's congratulatory letter to the first council meeting of the BRNN on April 23 has provided important guidance to promote the construction of the BRNN, said Tuo.

A total of 194 media organizations from 94 countries have become full members of the BRNN. 

"The media workshop is a key project to implement the joint statement declared at the meeting, as well as a concrete measure to strengthen cooperation, people-to-people exchanges and mutual learning in order to promote Belt and Road news production," Tuo added.

Marcelo Cantelmi, editor-in-chief of the Foreign Desk of the Clarin Newspaper in Argentina, and Nwabisa Makunga, editor of the Herald and the Weekend Post in South Africa, also delivered speeches at the ceremony. Deputy editor-in-chief of the People's Daily Fang Jiangshan presented the flag of the BRNN Media Workshop to the representatives.

(Photo: People's Daily/Chu Jiawei)

With the theme "New age, new concept, new media and new technology," the BRNN Media Workshop will be held from September 16 to 29. Lectures, visits and exchanges will be organized during its first period in Beijing, and students will go to China's Shaanxi, Zhejiang, Guizhou and Guangzhou Provinces for further interviews and surveys. 

The workshop aims to present the world a better understanding of the BRI and achievements of China's development, and also discuss practical measures for media integration.

Hosted by the State Council Information Office of China, the BRNN media workshop is jointly organized by the secretariat of BRNN and Communication University of China.