By LI Hongche & LIANG Yilian

As part of the programs marking the 2024 Franco-Chinese Year of Cultural Tourism, the Paris section of the first season of "Our Water: Flowing from Shanghai – Intercultural Dialogues among World Cities" kicked off in Paris on April 18.

This year also marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France, the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism, and the Paris Olympic Games.

Representatives from the political, business, academic and art circles of China and France attended the event. Vincent Louault, vice-president of the French Senate's France-China Group, said at the opening ceremony that, "Shanghai and Paris bring us together today, with water being an indelible part of our shared history."

He concluded that looking ahead, the two cities can collaborate in various aspects including urban governance, sustainable development, and economic and cultural exchanges, using water as a medium.

A forum was held after the launch ceremony which focused on the cultural connection and urban development between Shanghai and Paris. Keynote speakers Wu Jiang, professor in the college of architecture and urban planning at Tongji University, and Martin Robain, chief designer of the Shanghai Expo Park and dean of the French Academy of Architecture, shared their insights on the sustainable development of waterfront cities in relation to rivers and historical heritage.

Wu pointed out that the geographical location of the intersection of rivers will affect urban development, citing transformation of public spaces along the Suzhou Creek as an example. Today, the banks of the Huangpu River and Suzhou Creek have not only become a public open space and a green cultural ecological space, but also a historical and cultural heritage site.

Robain believes that Paris and Shanghai have respectively taken the Paris Olympic Games and Shanghai World Expo as opportunities to conduct beneficial exploration and practical ways for the progress of human civilization and the well-being of urban residents.

Spanning 18 days, the Paris leg of the "Our Water: Flowing from Shanghai – Intercultural Dialogues" series will showcase a rich tapestry of cultural and artistic exchanges between China and France. Through a diverse array of mediums such as historical narratives, culinary delights, architectural marvels, artistic expressions, and multimedia presentations, the event underscored the depth of Franco-Chinese relations and the potential for future collaborations.