The golden autumn brings refreshing coolness. Climb high and enjoy the distant view. The opening ceremony of the 39th Taishan International Mountaineering Festival was held at the Tai 'an Cultural and Art Center on the afternoon of September 7th. More than 300 domestic and foreign guests from 11 countries and regions gathered together to jointly experience the unique charm of this international event and write a brand-new chapter of dialogue, exchange, mutual promotion and common progress.
Sun Jiye, vice chairperson of the Shandong Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, attended and declared the opening of the Mountaineering Festival. Yang Hongtao, the Secretary of the CPC Tai 'an Municipal Committee, and Wang Bingchun, a member of the Party Group and Deputy Director of the Shandong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, delivered speeches respectively. Li Lanxiang, the deputy secretary of the CPC Tai 'an Municipal Committee and the mayor of Tai 'an, made a promotion of Tai 'an's culture and tourism.
At the opening ceremony, Yang Hongtao, on behalf of the CPC Tai 'an Municipal Committee, the Tai 'an Municipal Government and the people of Tai 'an, extended a warm welcome to all the guests and expressed gratitude to people from all walks of life who care about and support the development of Tai 'an. Li Lanxiang made a presentation on Tai 'an's cultural and tourism industry to the guests present, comprehensively showcasing the magnificent Tai 'an that is rich in historical culture and full of vitality. He sincerely invited everyone to visit Tai 'an, experience Mount Tai, and jointly achieve their dreams and create a bright future.
At the opening ceremony, a variety of programs that blend traditional culture with the charm of The Times were dazzling. The powerful instrumental ensemble "Majestic Mount Tai" and the vivid Shandong Bangzi opera song "Flowers Bloom in the Flourishing Age" showcase the brilliant history and cultural heritage of Tai 'an. The mountain climbing assistance robot program "Taishan Zhixing · Assisting the Peak" and the newly created song and dance "Running towards Taishan" fully demonstrate the innovative vitality of Tai 'an that keeps pace with The Times. Korean artists also brought the traditional folk dance "Little Drum Dance", adding a unique charm to the event.
Since Tai 'an City and Tai 'an County established a sister city relationship in 1997, they have been working together for 28 years. The two sides have carried out fruitful exchanges and cooperation in many fields such as administration, culture and tourism. In his speech at the scene, Jia Shilu, the governor of Tae-an County, South Korea, an international sister city of Tae-an, expressed his hope that this special bond between the two cities could last for a long time, deepening friendship and trust, and making exchanges and cooperation more profound. Elena Zanoni, the mayor of Rogu, Italy, an international sister city of Tai 'an, also sent her blessings via video.
Li Zicheng, the champion of the youth men's group and Sun Xiaohui, the champion of the youth women's group of the 38th Taishan International Mountaineering Competition, shared their deep connection with Tai 'an and Taishan on the spot. Stephen from Kenya and John from Australia also shared their unforgettable experiences of participating in the mountain climbing competition via video.
Since 1987, the Taishan International Mountaineering Festival has gradually developed into an international event integrating sports and fitness, cultural exchange, tourism promotion and economic and trade cooperation. It has become an important window for Tai 'an to reach out to the world and for the world to understand Tai 'an, as well as a solid bridge for enhancing friendship between China and foreign countries and promoting common development.
The current Taishan International Mountaineering Festival will last from September 5th to 10th. In addition to the opening ceremony of the Mountaineering Festival, during the event, the "Explore Qilu, Enjoy Shandong" autumn promotion activities, the 39th Taishan International Mountaineering Competition and the 30th National Mass Fitness Taishan Hiking Activity, the 2025 China Tai 'an Investment and Trade Cooperation Fair, as well as a series of cultural and tourism activities will be held simultaneously.