|
BEIJING, May 15-- Dazzling dance steps and music from different corners of Asia livened up the National Stadium in Beijing Wednesday evening as a grand carnival was held to celebrate the diversity of Asian civilizations. Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan attended the carnival, a major event of the ongoing Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations, together with foreign guests. Wang Huning also attended the event. In a speech to declare the beginning of the carnival, Xi said Asian cultures demonstrate great richness and vitality thanks to the diversity of Asian civilizations. "Tonight, the colorful flowers of Asian cultures will blossom in full," he said. "Arts will transcend the boundaries of nations, touch people right in the heart and connect their minds, showing to the world a radiant, dynamic, peaceful and progressive Asia." Chinese people sincerely hope that Asian countries will help each other and work closely together to advance with the rest of the world, he said. The same stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, was the stage of the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics Games in 2008. Around 30,000 audience from home and abroad watched artists from across Asia perform folk dances, play traditional musical instruments or sing popular songs from their homeland. Upasana Madan, an Indian dancer, said she felt thrilled to be back on a Chinese stage 18 years after a three-week performing tour in China. | 
