Beijing photo exhibition in South Africa

Three girls pose at a photo exhibition titled "Charming Beijing, Passionate Winter Olympics" that kicked off in the National Library of Tshwane, South Africa on Sept 23.

A photo exhibition titled "Charming Beijing, Passionate Winter Olympics" kicked off in the National Library of Tshwane, South Africa on Sept 23, one of many Beijing Week activities of South Africa's "Year of China" celebrations.

Around 100 leaders and guests from both countries took part in the opening ceremony, and looked at 62 photography works displaying Beijing's city landscapes, cultural customs, foreign exchanges, and its efforts for a successful Winter Olympics.

The Charming Beijing Photo Exhibition has been held over 80 times in more than 60 cities and around 40 countries over the past decade, as a branding event to promote Beijing worldwide.

This exhibition in South Africa attracted a lot of local people to get a deeper understanding of Beijing's history and culture through these photos.

Unlike the usual way of showing photos in frames, this exhibition used a technology to print photos on silk canvas, which is clear and fresh.

The organizers of the event, the Beijing Association for Cultural Exchanges and Beijing Review, a leading Chinese news weekly, gave books introducing Beijing to the South Africa National Library, hoping to help local people learn more about China and its capital.

There will be a similar photo exhibition at the Chinese Culture Center in Mauritius, in the beginning of October, said the organizer.