The National Auditorium celebrates the International Day for Dialogue among Civilisations with music as a common language between peoples

The National Auditorium in Madrid hosted a concert on Thursday to mark the International Day for Dialogue among Civilisations. 

Organised by the Chinese Cultural Centre in Madrid, the Chinese Tourist Office in Spain and the Chinese Symphony Orchestra, with the sponsorship of the Chinese Embassy in Spain and the Chinese International Culture Association, the Forbidden City Quartet of the Chinese National Symphony Orchestra performed several pieces of traditional Chinese music in a two-part event to make, through music, a call for peace, inclusion, understanding and mutual understanding.  

Liu Zhenyuan, Zhang Ning, Ma Yanchun and Li Cheng, four musicians renowned for their performances in Asia and Europe, were responsible for using music as a common language between peoples and civilisations in the heart of Madrid. The capital thus became part of a celebration representing a far-reaching call by China to strengthen international cultural cooperation, mutual understanding, peaceful coexistence and cooperation between peoples. 

The concert, which featured pieces such as ‘Dance of the Golden Serpent’, ‘Deep Love’ and ‘Eternal Friendship’ and the well-known folk song ‘Jasmine Flower’, was an artistic expression of China's global commitment to respect cultural diversity and humanistic cooperation. Thus, under one roof, Eastern and Western cultures came together in a concert whose second half featured Beethoven's String Quartet No. 4 in C minor, Op. 18 No. 4, performed by the prestigious Forbidden City Quartet, made up of musicians from the China National Symphony Orchestra. 

The date, 10 June, was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2024 at the proposal of China. The initiative, which emphasises that all the achievements of civilisations constitute ‘the collective heritage of humanity’, was presented by China and supported by 82 countries to mark a milestone in the promotion of respect, cultural diversity, mutual understanding and international cooperation. With this, China reaffirms its role as a key player in multilateral diplomacy and the promotion of common values for humanity. 

The Minister Counsellor for Culture at the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Madrid, He Yong, said before the concert began that ‘the musical encounter reflects a shared awareness of peace, inclusion, understanding and cooperation in a world where voices of hatred, division and xenophobia are increasingly heard’. In response, He Yong pointed out that ‘China is willing to work with all countries of all civilisations to build a world full of peace, justice and freedom where dialogue and mutual learning are rewarded over confrontation’.