The 2025 Beijing International Week of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) will be held at the Beijing Municipal Administrative Center from October 17 to 21. Under the theme "Intangible Cultural Heritage: Together for a Better Life", the event will gather outstanding ICH works from 61 countries and regions across five continents. Main venues include the Beijing Grand Canal Museum, the Beijing City Library, and parts of the Central Green Forest Park, where a series of exhibitions, cultural exchanges, and interactive experiences will be held.

This year's ICH Week embraces a global vision, weaving together civilizations from five continents under the thread of the Belt and Road Initiative. The "Intangible Cultural Heritage Ingenuity · Revitalizing Life" (非遗匠心·焕新生活) International ICH Exhibition will open at the Beijing Grand Canal Museum on October 17. In the International Handicraft Exhibition Area, visitors can appreciate exquisite pieces such as Georgian textiles and pottery, Mexican wood carvings, as well as experience the living inheritance of arts such as Turkish Ebru (a Turkish art of painting on water, where designs are transferred to paper) and the Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony. The ICH Boutique Exhibition Area gathers the finest ICH items from Beijing, Hong Kong, and Macao, featuring treasures such as Cloisonné, Beijing embroidery, the guqin (Chinese zither), tea ceremony culture, and Macao's specialty products.

The opening gala, titled "Intangible Cultural Heritage Glamour · Bloom in Life" (非遗风华·绽放生活) will present a grand ICH feast connecting China and foreign countries. It includes the joint performance by the Dong ethnic group's grand chorus and Georgian vocal polyphony, the dance "Green and Blue" (青绿) interpreting the famous traditional painting "One Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains" (千里江山图), as well as Peking Opera performances, and traditional music and dance performances by artists from Mongolia, Ireland, Brazil, Zimbabwe, Finland, Bulgaria and more.

Located in the Central Green Forest Park, the "Intangible Cultural Heritage Market · Sharing Life" (非遗市集·共享生活) will feature three main sections: an international market, a Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei exhibition area, and an "Intangible Cultural Heritage + Brands" (非遗+品牌) zone. Here, visitors can taste global flavors like Turkish kebabs and Sri Lankan black tea, experience local traditions such as painting Beijing Rabbit Lord figurines, and also participate in crossover projects like "Douyin xindong daka" (抖音心动打卡) and robot demonstrations by Unitree.

This year's ICH Week will also see the launch of the "Intangible Cultural Heritage Development Co-Creation Camp" (非遗发展共创营) in collaboration with Douyin. The initiative will connect over 30 Beijing intangible cultural heritage inheritors with more than 40 leading Douyin creators to promote intangible cultural heritage from being "seen" to being "loved". The "Intangible Cultural Heritage Dialogue, Co-Creating Life" (非遗对话·共创生活) event will be held on October 17 at the Beijing City Library, inviting Chinese and international guests to engage in in-depth discussions on "the international communication of intangible cultural heritage" and "sustainable development". The event will also collaborate with urban cultural landmarks such as the "Three Temples and One Pagoda" in Tongzhou and Beijing WTown in Miyun District, creating a multi-site, citywide network of intangible cultural heritage experiences for the public to explore and enjoy.

(Source: Beijing Daily)