China, Culture, Education and Science, Forum, Latvia

The centre was established in Latvia for the first time during the relationship between the two countries and it offers broad access to up-to-date cultural news about the People’s Republic of China with a wealth of information about Chinese history, culture, politics and economy, is widely acknowledged as one of the most effective and convenient media for learning about the People’s Republic of China. The centre also promotes cultural and economic exchange and enhances a mutual understanding between the People’s Republic of China and the world.

The concept of the centre was being envisaged already in the year 2017 with the support provided by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China to the Republic of Latvia. According to the director Ms. Zhang in the field of culture, inter alia, the Communist Party of China has emphasized spiritual civilization above all. While building a high-level material civilization, a corresponding socialist spiritual uplift was necessary. Since the beginning of the reform and opening-up period, China’s literature, art and sport fields have rapidly progressed as well. In the process of establishing market-economy system, culture and sports management mechanisms were also reformed gradually, promoting culture and sports industry. Chinese publishing industry, movie and television industry and entertainment industry all take on unprecedent vigorousness in the trend of culture management mechanism reform. In the People’s Republic of China regulations were enacted, aimed on the preservation of cultural relicts and protection of major cultural relicts, development of tourism, etc. The history of New China teaches Chinese people to rely on scientific development to solve all the challenges they encounter. The principle of putting people first and making overall plans, and promoting a comprehensive, balanced and sustainable development of material, political, ethical and ecological civilization. Ms. Zhang added that the centre will encompass: an office, a library, an exhibition hall, and a conference room, furnished with the most up-to-date equipment to hold a variety of cultural and educational events. The centre has a total area of 1,000 square meters and plans to make the most use of this large and renovated space. The main audience are foreign diplomats, people who work in the cultural, educational, scientific fields, students, and mass media. Chinese contemporary art will also be available on display at the centre.

The Chinese side proposed three main areas of co-operation: bilateral agreements between the National Library of China, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Beijing Foreign Studies University and the Academic Library of the University of Latvia to strengthen and deepen the friendly relationship between the two countries and compliment the productive continuous political dialogue. In her address director of the Academic Library of the University of Latvia Ms. Kocere assured the Chinese counterparts that the proposed type of co-operation is beneficial to both parties and will be a valuable addition to the existing bilateral memorandums of understanding already in force. The parties agreed to hold joint cultural events also.

The Chinese colleagues were impressed by the rich history and substantial achievements of the Academic Library of the University of Latvia. A lot of effort is being made in the field of a multi-cultural dialogue. The following departments and information centres successfully operate at the Academic Library of the University of Latvia: Austrian Library and Swiss Reading Room, the Ukrainian, Belarusian, Azerbaijan, Georgian, Uzbekistan Information centres and Confucius Institute at the University of Latvia.

The centre in Latvia is an addition to an already existing international network, having representative offices in more than 35 countries. The official opening ceremony of the centre will be held in the beginning of July in Riga. The events, organized by the centre will reveal the basic facts concerning the culture, society, the all-around social progress, the life of all ethnic groups of New China as well as the major decisions of the Communist Party of China and central government and the great achievements in the various fields.