On Saturday 12 April 2025, the European Union offered residents visitors of Chengdu a unique opportunity to experience the EU’s cultural diversity. The Delegation of the European Union to China hosted the European Culture Street 2025, in collaboration with the diplomatic missions of the EU Member States in Beijing, Chengdu and Chongqing.

As guest of honour of the Chengdu-European Culture Season 2025, the European Union (EU) has partnered with Chengdu city authorities to co-launch this annual festival in tandem with the opening of the European Culture Street. As the EU and China mark 50 years of diplomatic relations, the European Culture Street offers an opportunity to foster cultural exchanges and mutual understanding through cultural traditions, arts, music, food, and interactive experiences.

European Union, 2025

[Image caption: Panoramic view of the opening ceremony with EU and Chinese dignitaries]

At the opening ceremony, the Ambassador of the European Union to China Mr. Jorge Toledo emphasised the importance of fostering dialogue between the peoples of the EU and China, especially on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of EU-China relations this year.  Ambassador Toledo said that “Discovering each other’s culture helps to bring us closer. Cultural and people-to-people exchanges can contribute to the foundation of trust and understanding that will guide us in improving our bilateral relations, honouring commitments, addressing global challenges and seizing new opportunities.” (Read: Speech by Jorge Toledo, EU Ambassador to China, at the opening of the European Culture Street in Chengdu on 12 April 2025)

European Union, 2025

[Image caption: Ambassador of the European Union addressing attendees at the opening ceremony].

As president of the Council of the European Union in the current semester, Poland was represented at the opening ceremony by the Polish Ambassador to China Mr. Jakub Kumoch, who also highlighted culture as “the best and most efficient way to connect different countries closely.”

European Union, 2025

[Image caption: Polish Ambassador delivering a speech]

In his opening speech, Deputy Mayor of Chengdu Municipal People's Government, Mr Zhao Jian said, “We believe that with culture and art as the medium, Chengdu and Europe will continue to promote cultural exchange and integration so that people's minds and hearts embrace each other; we are willing to apply openness and cooperation as a bridge to continue to deepen pragmatic cooperation with European partners in the fields of economy, trade, science and technology, digital, youth, etc., and jointly open up new space for mutual benefit and win-win results.”

European Union, 2025

[Image caption: Diplomatic and municipal leaders pose at the opening ceremony for the European Culture Street]

Feng Jinping,first Secretary, Deputy Director of Department of European Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wang Guanrang, Deputy Inspector-General, Foreign Affairs Office of Sichuan Provincial People's Government, Chen Yaoji, Administrator, Culture and Tourism Department of Sichuan Provincial People's Government, Jiang Bin, Director General, Foreign Affairs Office of Chengdu Municipal People's Government, He Xingxuan, District Mayor of Chenghua District People's Government, along with Ambassador of Slovenia to China Mr Bostjan Malovrh, Ambassador of Cyprus to China Ms Frances Galatia Lanitou Williams, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Malta Ms Kimberly Zammit, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Estonia Mr Marti Mätas, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Slovenia Mr. Dejan Vidic, Consul General of Hungary in Chongqing Mr Bálint Czégel, Consul General of France in Chengdu, Mr Guillaume Delvalle, Consul General of Austria in Chengdu, Mr Günther Lazelsberger, Consul General of Italy in Chongqing, Mr Fabio Schina, Consul General of Poland in Guangzhou, Mr Piotr Nowotniak, Consul General of Spain in Chengdu, Mr Carlos Sáenz de Tejada, Deputy Consul General of Germany in Chengdu, Mr Julian Lasinger, Minister Plenipotentiary the Embassy of Romania, Claudiu Mihail Florian, Minister Plenipotentiary (Cultural Affairs) at Austrian Embassy/Cultural Forum Beijing, Mrs Gudrun Hardiman-Pollross, Minister Counsellor for Economy and Trade of the Embassy of the Netherlands, Mr Huub Buise, Press and Cultural Counsellor of the Embassy of Finland, Ms Janna Laine, First Secretary for Public Diplomacy of the Embassy of Greece, Ms Ionna Kakalidi, First secretary - Public diplomacy of the Embassy of Belgium, Mr Recollecte Max, First Secretary of the Embassy of Demark, Mr Nikolaj Christian Borreschmidt, Third Secretary of the Embassy of Slovakia, Mr Tomas Kudlacak, among other representatives from the EU Member States and EUNIC also participated in the opening ceremony. 

The European Culture Street also collaborated with the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence and Centre of European Studies of Sichuan University, as well as with local NGOs working with people with disabilities.

The 2025 European Culture Street offered an immersive experience through interactive booths showcasing EU Member States' traditions and cultural expressions; vibrant performances featuring traditional dances and contemporary music; and innovative dialogue activities including VR tours of iconic landmarks and participatory cultural exchange games. 

European Union, 2025

European Union, 2025

European Union, 2025

European Union, 2025

[Image caption: Performers on stage]

European Union, 2025

European Union, 2025

European Union, 2025

European Union, 2025

[Image caption: Audience participating in interactive activities]

About European Culture Street

European Culture Street is a flagship public diplomacy event launched by the Delegation of the European Union to China in 2008, aiming to showcase EU’s cultural diversity to the Chinese public and fostering people-to-people exchanges between the EU and China. The sixth and last edition of the EU-China High-Level People-to-People Dialogue took place in March 2024. Confident that enhancing people-to-people level cooperation and keeping cultural exchanges open are essential to maintain bilateral links and provide a favourable environment for cooperation, the EU continues to invest in this important pillar of EU-China bilateral relations.