DONGGUAN, China, Dec. 1, 2020 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--

The 2020 Dongguan Citizen Photography Week with the theme of "City - Quality", held by the Information Office of Dongguan Municipality, has kicked off in Dongguan, China, with Friedrich Engels' Hometown Wuppertal Photo Exhibition being one of the activities. The Exhibition works as a "window" for the citizens of Dongguan to learn about the sister city of Wuppertal and show the friendship, and a way to commemorate the bicentenary of the birth of the great philosopher Engels. It is also a great way to further strengthen exchanges and promote mutual understanding between the two cities.
 
"Welcome to Wuppertal, the hometown of Friedrich Engels! The city is located in the North Rhine-Westphalia state, western Germany, neighboring to Dusseldorf and Cologne. In 2015, Dongguan and Wuppertal became sister cities and they have carried out exchanges and cooperation in various fields including economy, culture, science and technology. How amazing is this city? Please take a ride on the unique 100-year-old suspension train (Schwebebahn) and enjoy a cultural journey through time and space", as shown on the photo exhibition.
 
Against the backdrop of the sudden onslaught of COVID-19 this year, the Exhibition surpasses space to strengthen cultural exchanges between China and Germany. Photos are becoming the vivid media for the two nations to share histories and enhance dialogues among civilizations.
 
This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of China-EU diplomatic relations and the 200th anniversary of Engels' birth. Wuppertal, his hometown, has designated this year as the Year of Engels. Dongguan, together with its sister city Wuppertal, hold the Exhibition, in ways to strengthen civilization exchanges in a more open and inclusive manner, inspiring people in terms of the fight against COVID-19 and economic recovery.
 
The opening ceremony day of the Exhibition, namely November 28, marks the bicentenary of the birth of Engels. Dr. Johannes Slawig, Chief Executive of Wuppertal said in the blessing video, that the Exhibition helps maintain the two cities' communication at present, offering opportunities for Dongguan citizens to discover Wuppertal. The photo exhibitions held in both 2019 and this year symbol our friendship which can overcome all barriers. Meanwhile, Dr.Bluma, curator of the Engels museum also sent his best wishes through video, welcoming the locals to pay a visit to the museum.
 
Wuppertal is an important industrial city in Germany and shares many similarities with Dongguan in terms of industrial development. Since the two sides become sister cities in 2015, they have strengthened connections through the exchange of civil servants, inviting people from Wuppertal to attend summer camps in Dongguan, and exchange visits of delegations in trade, economy and environmental protection. In December last year, the Photo Exhibition of Dongguan, with the theme of "Connecting with the World through Manufacturing - Diversified Urban Culture" went to Paris, France, and Wuppertal, Germany, telling the world how Dongguan pursues quality development and embraces the world.
 
The Dongguan Citizens Photography Week has been held for 5 consecutive times, each attracting nearly 200,000 citizens to attend. It has become an annual cultural feast in Dongguan. In this year's event, Dongguan also launched its brand new bilingual city album "Quality Dongguan", which will be released and sold nationwide, in order to make readers at home and abroad to know more about Dongguan.
 
Source: The Information Office of Dongguan Municipality  

--BERNAMA