Chinese choirs sing to celebrate diplomatic ties with Switzerland

MORGES, Switzerland — The Chinese folk classic Jasmine Flower echoed through Morges Temple on the shores of Lake Geneva on Wednesday as The Voices of Peace concert celebrated the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Switzerland.

Drawing audiences from Switzerland, France, Germany, and Italy, the Beijing Qingzhou Choir and the Lidong Choir performed together, presenting the ode, Jian Jia, from China's ancient Shijing (The Book of Songs), as well as In the Depths of the Temple, a well-known duet from Georges Bizet's opera The Pearl Fishers.

Tibor Savoldelli, a Swiss audience member, tells Xinhua that the concert was an excellent opportunity for cultural exchanges between China and Switzerland, and adds that the beautiful venue symbolized peace and promoted mutual understanding and cooperation between the two countries.

Swiss citizen Feriz Imeri says the concert not only showed the Swiss but also the world that China values peace and understanding.

Zhao Yuan, artistic director of the concert, says The Voice of Peace concert once again proved that music is humanity's common language.

"It may bring warmth and lasting power to unite humanity and build lasting peace," Zhao says.

The concert was part of the first Europe-China Youth Peace Forum, which convened on Sept 15 and brought together young people from around the world to discuss global peace. The forum adopted the theme "Past Lessons, Future Peace" and was held ahead of the International Day of Peace, which was celebrated on Sunday.

Xinhua