The 2025 Training Program for Arab Officials and Scholars in Culture and Tourism kicked off in Shenzhen on Monday. The program is hosted by the Bureau of International Exchange and Cooperation of China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Twenty-one high-level officials, experts and scholars from the culture and tourism authorities of 11 Arab countries, including Egypt, Algeria, and Morocco, as well as the Secretariat of the League of Arab States (LAS), are participating in the program.

The program will last until Sept 24 and take participants on visits to Shenzhen in Guangdong province and Beijing. They will explore sites of historical and cultural significance, experience new cultural and tourism products, and attend lectures by Chinese experts and scholars.

The training program aims to enhance the understanding of Chinese modernization among Arab officials and scholars and create opportunities for China and Arab countries to explore new models of cooperation in culture and tourism, according to the program host.

In Shenzhen, participants visited several renowned cultural landmarks, including the Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning, Lianhuashan Park and Nantou Ancient Town. They also visited the world's first 6S robot store and Tencent headquarters to experience the city's technological advancements firsthand.