The 58th Geneva Festival, which opens today in Switzerland, will highlight China as the "host-in-honor country."

Hosted by the Tourism Authority of Geneva, the 10-day festival has a history spanning 50 years. Since 1997, the organizing committee has invited a country as a "host-in-honor" every year.

As this year's honored country, China has prepared an extensive programme to showcase its traditional culture.

A picture show called "the World Patrimony of China," which introduces 30 natural and cultural heritages of China, will kick off activities today.

Also starting today is a photographic exhibition on the natural and cultural wonders of Yunnan Province.

A Chinese delegation numbering 200 is now in Geneva to offer a variety of shows featuring Chinese cultural heritage.

Shaolin monks from central China's Henan Province will amaze visitors while theatre-goers can take a close look at ethnic music and dance if they head to "The Style of Yunnan," a show rich in Yunnan flavor; and "the Note of the Orient," an instrumental show of western China's ethnic music.

For those interested in the splendid culture of the ancient Qin (221-206 BC) and Tang (618-907) dynasties, when Xi'an was capital of the country, "Opera and Ballet of Xi'an" is a good choice.

Another highlight of the festival is the folk art show alongside Lake Geneva. Folk artists from Chengdu in Sichuan Province and Yangzhou in Jiangsu Chinese Folk Literature and Art Society will present their crafts including dough modeling, shadow puppetry, the embroidery of Sichuan and so on.

On the same site, people can appreciate culture from a number of countries besides China during a grand parade on August 6.

Together with "Chinese film week," the activities will also be presented during the celebration of 60 years of the United Nations, another part of the festival.

The festival will end on August 14 with a grand fireworks display to the accompaniment of traditional Chinese music.

(China Daily August 4, 2005)