NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 10 — A vivid showcase of China’s ancient artistic traditions transformed the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) into a stage for cultural diplomacy on Tuesday, as performers from Gansu Province brought Dunhuang-inspired music, dance, and classical instrumentation to the heart of multilateral dialogue.
The cultural presentation, delivered by the Gansu Performance Company and its affiliate, Gansu Dance Troupe Co., Ltd., formed the centrepiece of the International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations commemoration, blending performance art with China’s broader narrative of civilizational exchange and global cooperation.
Directed by Li Xin and led by Zhou Wenshuai, the troupe presented a carefully curated sequence of performances drawn from Dunhuang and Tang Dynasty artistic heritage—an aesthetic tradition rooted in China’s Silk Road history and long associated with cross-cultural exchange.
The opening piece, Dunhuang Music and Dance, set the tone with flowing choreography and Silk Road-inspired costumes, evoking imagery from the ancient Mogao Caves frescoes.
Dancers Kang Qi, Xi Jiali, Yu Peixian, Zhao Anqi, Mao Shuaizhi, Mu Wei, and Zhang Bo performed in synchronized formations that blended classical movement vocabulary with contemporary stage direction.
The performance was followed by a solo pipa rendition of Ambush from All Sides, performed by Wang Yuanying, highlighting the precision and emotional intensity of traditional Chinese string music.
One of the most visually striking segments, Tang Dynasty • HuXuan Dance, revived the famed spinning dance style of the Tang court.
Performed by Xi Jiali, Zhao Anqi, and Mao Shuaizhi, the piece emphasized rapid rotational movement and balance, symbolizing the cosmopolitan vibrancy of medieval Chang’an.
The ancient musical segment Qingbei Yue, performed by He Jing, Li Na, and Wang Yuanying, introduced a softer tonal palette, drawing from reconstructed Dunhuang-era melodies.
It was followed by the Dunhuang Ancient Musical Instrument Ensemble performance, Bliss, which layered traditional instrumentation into a meditative soundscape.
The programme closed with Feather & Rainbow Dance, a large ensemble piece that returned to Dunhuang-inspired visuals, combining expansive movement, feathered costumes, and vibrant colour symbolism.
The performances were framed within a broader diplomatic message emphasizing mutual learning among civilizations, as China continues to promote its Global Civilization Initiative in multilateral forums.
Chinese officials described the cultural showcase as part of a wider effort to strengthen people-to-people exchanges under the China-Africa Year of Cultural and People-to-People Exchanges, using heritage performance as a bridge between societies.
The event also featured a screening of Tale of the Night, presented by the Hunan Provincial Film Administration and the Hunan International Communication Centre, extending the cultural programme beyond live performance into contemporary Chinese cinema.
Alongside the cultural showcase, Zheng Degao, Vice President of the China Academy of Urban Planning and Design, outlined China’s progress under the UN New Urban Agenda, citing rapid urbanization and expanded green energy capacity as key milestones in the country’s development model.
He noted that China’s installed wind and solar power capacity has now surpassed coal-fired generation capacity, framing it as part of a broader transition toward sustainable urban growth.
Kenya’s Permanent Representative to UNON and UNEP, Ambassador Ida Odinga, stressed the importance of cultural understanding in reducing global tensions, calling for deeper respect for diversity and stronger international cooperation.