With the opportunities provided by the China CEE 16+1 Capitals Mayors Forum held in mid-September, Beijing has signed a series of cultural and arts agreements with Central and Eastern European countries in the form of strategic cooperative partnerships.

The 16+1 Tourism Education Alliance was founded during the forum to promote the development and cooperation of the tourism industry. It encourages personnel exchanges, project development and resource sharing between Beijing and CEE.

The alliance was initiated by the Beijing Union University Institute of Tourism, the first such college in China.

Yan Xuyang, vice-president of Beijing Union University, said that the foundation of the alliance is a positive response to the Belt and Road Initiative in the field of tourism education.

He said the alliance can promote cooperative world tourism education. Yan invited tourism colleges, technology institutions and also companies in CEE to join the alliance, as an influential global organization.

Yan said that the multilateral exchanges and cooperation brought about my the formation of the alliance will involve many aspects of the industry, such as research and training, international students' education, destination recommendation, technology and cultural areas.

For example, teachers from the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Poland and the Beijing Union University Institute of Tourism recently announced a joint scientific research project.

The 16+1 Tourism Education alliance is an opportunity to cultivate tourism in Beijing and CEE, promoting economic development in both regions, Yan said.

It also aims to promote and deepen communication among young people in those countries, leading in innovation and entrepreneurship, cultivating international entrepreneurial spaces, organizing international cooperation teams, and developing professionals for the countries, Yan added.

Veselin Vukotic, professor and founder of the University of Donja Gorica - the first member of the 16+1 Tourism Education Alliance - said that China, as a responsible world-leading country, makes a great contribution to global development.

After the Belt and Road Initiative was put forward in 2013, China has played a positive role in economic and trade cooperation as well as cultural exchanges, and has also actively promoted national stability, Vukotic said.

The Beijing Symphony Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra of Montenegro recently signed a cooperation understanding, promoting traditional Chinese music culture across the world, playing a positive role in the inheritance and development of the national art forms.

As one of the most important and representative orchestras in China, the Beijing Symphony Orchestra said it adheres to the national 'going global' strategy. It has established friendly relations with symphony orchestras across the world, promoting Beijing's city function as an international communication center.

The Symphony Orchestra sub-forum of the 16+1 event will launch during the third annual forum and a Belgrade Day show will take place in Beijing, with the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra performing in the Chinese capital. The latter event will raise awareness of the young Chinese performers training with the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as the two sides' deep collaboration in management and personnel communication.

Meng Haidong, head of the Beijing Symphony Orchestra, said that the establishment of friendly cooperation with international orchestras helps to present China's musical culture and strength to the world. This has also created a platform for Chinese music to demonstrate its artistic appeal, with global performances helping the orchestra to build its brand image, gain international prestige, enhance its competitive ability and expand its global influence, according to Meng.

(China Daily 09/30/2017 page9)