A step further in a dialogue process, which already established its success, the 4th European-Chinese Cultural Dialogue will take place in Luxembourg from October 26th to October 28th 2011.

Aiming to emphasize the exchange of experiences, this meeting will gather more than 130 experts and participants from Europe and China, involving notably the most renowned specialists from the People’s Republic of China: leaders of art foundations, architects, art museum, and gallery representatives from the National Art Museum of China to the 798 Arts Zone, scholars, operation capital holders, cultural officials, and directors of media and publications. A mix of plenary lectures and workshops will allow the exploration of one major theme: The Protection of cultural heritage, and the input of artists in the construction of the modern city.

This theme will be the subject of cross explorations highlighted by high-profile keynote speakers through three key topics:

– Art and Finance

– The role of cultural centres in urban regeneration: the shift in function of a venue and its integration in urban planning as well as the role of art in regards to the urban and cultural development

– Creative/cultural Industries as vehicle for sustainable urban strategies: current state of the cultural Industries and policies surrounding cultural services as well as city identity.

The 4th European-Chinese cultural dialogue is an initiative launched by the European Union National Institutes for Culture jointly with the Chinese National Academy of Arts. EUNIC is the network of the international cultural relations institutes from the member states of the European Union. Formed in 2006, it gathers 30 members from 25 countries. EUNIC’s members – British Council, Centre Culturel de Rencontre Abbaye de Neumünster, Det Danske Kulturinstitut, Fondation Alliance Française, Goethe-Institut, Instituto Camöes, Institutul Cultural Rôman. to name a few – work in over 150 countries with over 2.000 branches. They work in the arts, languages, youth, education, science, intercultural dialogue and development sectors.

EUNIC’s members have an international reputation as Europe’s leading cultural relations practitioners. They seek to facilitate cultural co-operation, to create lasting partnerships between professionals and to encourage greater understanding and awareness of the diverse European cultures. EUNIC members also come together in varied groupings to develop common projects. The European-Chinese Cultural Dialogue represents one of them. Three Dialogues already took place, in Beijing in 2008, Copenhagen in 2009, and in Shanghai in 2010. In 2011, the 4th Dialogue will be held in Luxembourg from October 26th to October 29th and has been officially incorporated in China’s 12th Five-Year Plan.