The 8th Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo will hold its opening ceremony at the international convention and exhibition center of Dunhuang. YANG LIU/CHINA DAILY

The 8th Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo will take place in Dunhuang, Gansu province, from Sept 20 to 22, under the theme "Strengthening Cultural Exchanges and Promoting Mutual Learning Among Civilizations".

The expo has planned 17 activities across seven categories. Key events include the Dunhuang Forum, which will feature seminars on cultural heritage preservation, Dunhuang studies, creative industries, youth dialogues, and international cultural communication. Latest achievements in heritage conservation and Dunhuang research will be announced.

The event has invited representatives from 56 countries including Thailand, Italy, Argentina, Uruguay, and Spain; seven international organizations including UNESCO and the United Nations World Tourism Organization; and delegates from Hong Kong. Nearly 300 overseas guests will attend the conference. Thailand is the guest country of honor this year.

To enhance visitor experience, Dunhuang has integrated elements from the Mogao murals into urban streets and upgraded night views at key locations like the Dunhuang Night Market and Danghe River scenic area. New landmarks have been created. Multilingual signs, foreign currency payment options, and language services have been added in tourist and commercial areas.

The expo emphasizes cultural innovation, featuring digital immersive exhibitions and seminars on Dunhuang research, as well as displays of intangible cultural heritage and creative products to promote the preservation and global communication of cultural heritage.