To celebrate the 53rd Anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, a World Heritage in China photo show co-sponsored by the Chinese Embassy in India, the Sino-India Friendship Association Punjab Branch and Chandigarh Academy of Fine Arts, was successfully held at Chandigarh from October 3rd to 12th, 2002.

The opening ceremony was held at the Convention Hall of Chandigarh Government Museum on the afternoon of Oct. 3rd at 5:30. About 150 persons attended the ceremony, among whom are Ms Nilu Anda, Vice Managing Director of Chandigarb Central Direct District, Mr. Sukdevi Dingsa, Minister of India Central Government Chemical Industry and Chemical Fertilizer, Mr. Hua Junduo, Chinese Ambassador to India, and personages of Indian political, cultural and mass media circles and people from Sino-India Friendship Association. Ms Nilu Anda, Minister Sukdev Dingsa and Ambassador Hua Junduo cut the ribbon for the show and made speeches respectively.

On display are photos of the 27 sites placed on the list of the UNESCO World Heritage. They bring to view China's long-standing culture and magnificent landscape. Such photos were already successfully exhibited in New Delhi and Calcutta. During the exhibition period this time, the Sino-India Friendship Association Punjab Branch made arrangement for a large number of students to visit the exhibition.

Local Indian TV station, the principal national and local newspapers made reports about the event. The Industan Times published an article entitled On the other side of the Great Wall, saying The Great Wall was probably the only cultural legacy that the Indians knew of China. Now the show here helps to take the Indians to the other side of the Great Wall to see more of China's historic and cultural legacy.

(Cultural Department of Chinese Embassy in India)

Oct. 6th, 2002