by Fatima Aruri
RAMALLAH, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- An art performance by a Chinese opera troupe was held in the West Bank's Ramallah city recently, as part of the celebrations marking the Chinese Lunar New Year, or the Spring Festival, attracting hundreds of Palestinians.
The performance by the Gansu Provincial Troupe named "Dunhuang Rhyme and Silk Road Feelings" included traditional dance, music and singing.
One of the performers amazed his Palestinian audience by singing an anthem of "Mawtini-My Homeland."
The event, organized by the Office of the People's Republic of China to the State of Palestine, aims to boost friendship between Palestinian and Chinese people through cultural exchange.
Director of the Office of the People's Republic of China to the State of Palestine Guo Wei told Xinhua "in the past few years, the cultural exchange between both countries has intensified, and so has the depth of the Palestinian people's knowledge about China's history and culture. This means that the exchange between the peoples is fundamental in enhancing the historic Palestinian-Chinese relations."
Head of the Palestinian-Chinese Friendship Association Adnan Samara said that the show enriched his own knowledge and passion of Chinese culture.
"We want to extend the bridges between the Chinese and Palestinian people, because with the official relations at the highest representation, we want to create relations with all sectors of the Palestinian people and art is the best project and the best program to consolidate this relationship between the two nations," said Samara.
The Gansu Opera House was founded on 1939 and has received several prestigious awards for many of its shows.
