架起一座走向世界的桥梁——“平遥国际摄影节”活动综述

ERECTING A BRIDGE TO THE WORLD

With the approval of the Ministry of Culture, and with the convergence of support from the Provincial Party Committee and the government, Pingyao International Photography Festival (PIP)--the first global photo trading fair in China-- was sponsored by Shanxi International Cultural Exchange Association, and run by Jinzhong Municipality, Pingyao County, and the People’s Photo. PIP was solemnly held in the ancient city of Pingyao September 20 - 30, 2001. Over 100 professional photographers coming from 16 countries and regions, such as France, USA, UK, Germany, Spain, Singapore, Sweden, Russia, Japan, and Korea, in addition to some 4,000 domestic photographers and shutterbugs, converged to Pingyao for the extravaganza. The festival was innovative, varied, and full of spectacular features. Its main activities included the opening ceremony, a welcoming party, a large-scale concert, photo exhibitions, photo stock trading, workshops, open air slide shows, the "Ancient Pingyao"photo contest, an"Ancient City vs. Fashion Model"snapshots competition, a medal-awarding evening party for best works of commercial photographs, and demonstrations of Pingyao’s customs. Both domestic and overseas participants warmly received these programs. Ms. Agnes de Gouvion Saint-cyr, Director of the National Photographic Center under the Cultural Ministry of France, commented:" I haven’t thought that Pingyao could have organized such a high level and high taste international photography festival. It’s absolutely wonderful. The programs are rich and varied. If it could be held here again next year, the French government would give its full support." The main features of PIP were as follows: 1) It was the first photo trading festival ever held in China, which was run according to international norms, and also an event of international cultural exchange. 2) It was operated in line with international practice. 3) There was a thorough cultural exchange and interaction between domestic and overseas photographers, which would undoubtedly give a big boost to the prosperity of both Chinese and global photography industry. 4) The taste was high because the event was a direct comparison, exchange and interaction between Chinese and Western cultures. 5) It was seminal in that it would give Shanxi in general and Jinzhong and Pingyao in particular a positive and far-reaching influence on the name recognition and the overall cultural taste; on the capacity building of opening-up program; on the reinvention of themselves; and on the cultural resources-based economic readjustment.

With the approval of the Ministry of Culture, and with the convergence of support from the Provincial Party Committee and the government, Pingyao International Photography Festival (PIP)--the first global photo trading fair in China-- was sponsored by Shanxi International Cultural Exchange Association, and run by Jinzhong Municipality, Pingyao County, and the People s Photo. PIP was solemnly held in the ancient city of Pingyao September 20 - 30, 2001. Over 100 professional photographers coming from 16 cou...