ISTANBUL/COLOMBO, July 5 (Xinhua) -- The cultural exchange event "Encounter and Enlighten" recently arrived in Istanbul, Türkiye, and Colombo, Sri Lanka, respectively, featuring inter-city dialogues on topics such as mutual learning among civilizations and urban development.

Guests visit an exhibition during the cultural exchange event "Encounter and Enlighten" in Colombo, Sri Lanka, July 4, 2026. The cultural exchange event "Encounter and Enlighten" recently arrived in Colombo, Sri Lanka, featuring a themed dialogue with China's eastern city of Ningbo.(Photo: Xinhua)

The events were attended by representatives from governments, academia, and cultural institutions.

In a video message addressing the Nanjing-Istanbul Urban Civilization Dialogue held on Thursday, Frederique Aubert, head of the culture unit at the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science and Culture in Europe, based in Venice, noted that both Nanjing and Istanbul possess rich cultural heritage, and that their heritage conservation practices can serve as models for the preservation and sustainable development of historic cities worldwide.

Huriye Merve Gedik, head of the City History, Promotion and Tourism Department of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, noted that Istanbul and Nanjing are both historic cities that have flourished along waterways and prospered through the accumulation of civilization.

The dialogue helps the two cities deepen mutual understanding and creates opportunities for practical cooperation such as preserving ancient city walls and utilizing cultural heritage, Gedik said.

Also on Thursday, renowned writers, poets and sinologists from China and Türkiye held in-depth discussions on literary creation and cross-cultural communication in the AI age, with a two-way resident poet project announced.

In Sri Lanka's capital Colombo, the event held on Saturday was focused on cultural construction amid the development of port cities.

At a themed dialogue with China's eastern city of Ningbo, Vraie Cally Balthazaar, mayor of Colombo, told journalists that both port cities are undergoing tremendous transformation, and that Colombo looks forward to learning from Ningbo in terms of city planning and the integration of culture and tourism.

At a session devoted to sharing stories of life, culture and connection associated with the two cities, Yasiru Ranaraja, founding director of the Belt and Road Initiative Sri Lanka, recounted the history of visits by ancient Chinese Buddhist monk Faxian and navigator Zheng He to Sri Lanka, highlighting the port city's important role in Sri Lanka-China exchanges since ancient times.

Organizers of the "Encounter and Enlighten" cultural exchange events in Türkiye and Sri Lanka included China's State Council Information Office, Chinese diplomatic missions in respective countries, and the Chinese city governments involved.