1、Culture ministers from Africa are gathered in Beijing to take part in a conference designed to try to bridge a cultural gap that some fear could be holding back cooperation between China and Africa.CRIs Nillah Nyakoa has more.Addressing the opening ceremony of the Cultural Ministers of China and Afr
2、ica Forum, Nigerian representative Edem Duke says an understanding and critical examination of cultural relations are vital for Africas development.It is important for us to borrow from the rich cultural content of Africa, for us to reposition Africa and ensure that culture is not only a tool of dip
3、lomacy, but that we also can deploy it to achieve economic as well as the Millennium Development goals for the continent.Chinese Culture Minister Cai Wu says a better understanding of one-anothers cultures is the backbone of China and Africas ties.In recent years, communication and cooperation in cu
4、lture between China and Africa have been progressing well, strengthening our mutual friendship. This has provided a platform for understanding our cultural differences and contributed to building a strategic relationship of development between China and Africa.Cultural ties between China and Africa
5、first date back to the Tang Dynasty, but have progressed very slowly, compared to the economic and political relationship over the past 60-years.As such, Edam Duke says ties between Africa and China need to be strengthened, not just them, but for the world as well.It is important that we face the ch
6、allenges not only as China and Africa but also as representatives of humanity. It is therefore important as ambassadors of culture to ensure that we leave here better enriched and promote this mutual relationship further.The forum is part of a six-month program called African Cultures in Focus, which began early last month.It has been organized by Chinas Ministry of Culture to try to promote and create an awareness of African culture in China by bringing together culture ministers from 50 African countries and their Chinese counterparts.For CRI, I am Nillah Nyakoa.
