From five continents to one city: A night of cultural exchange in Suzhou

The "Greenleaf Cup" Suzhou International Talent Gala was held at the Modern Media Plaza in Suzhou last night. Performers were from nearly 30 countries and regions across five continents and all currently live in the city.

The gala began with a lion dance, an opening song-and-dance performance and an Indian dance by students and teachers from UWC Changshu China. Wang Jibing, the "food courier poet," and students from Soochow University recited a poem by Wang together in various languages. Zekro Aflatuni, a Finnish who has lived in Suzhou for over 20 years, took the stage with his friends to stage a performance featuring Chinese and African drums.

The second part opened with a medley expressing humanity's longing for distant horizons. Xu Xiaochen and her husband Joseph Shannon combined Peking opera and Italian opera, while students from the School of Overseas Education at Soochow University put on a fashion show of traditional Chinese clothing. Five musicians from the Suzhou Symphony Orchestra concluded this part with a grand brass quintet.

The last part featured even more varieties of performances, such as the dance "Love," the song-and-dance piece "Love Confession," a martial arts performance, the English musical "Butterfly" and a medley of songs from classic movies.

With more than 30,000 expats, Suzhou remains a magnet for foreign investment and continues to foster a first-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based and international. It has been ranked among the top 10 most attractive Chinese cities in the eyes of foreign talent for over a decade.

Source: 引力播 (Yinlibo app); photos courtesy of the organizer