On July 29^th, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism held “Online Gala Performance in Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations Between Sierra Leone and China”. Hu Heping, China’s minister of culture and tourism, and Memunatu Pratt, Sierra Leone minister of culture and tourism, delivered speeches through video.

    Hu Heping said that China and Sierra Leone were friends and brothers. In recent years, we had carried out a series of practical communication and cooperation in terms of culture and tourism. What’s especially worth noticing were achievements in the training of practitioners of cultural industries as well as art creation and performance. Not long ago, China’s president Xi Jinping and Sierra Leone president exchanged ideas on phone. They agreed that both of the countries must did well in the celebration to mark the 50^th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relationship between the two countries. Hu Heping stressed that the online performance cooperation done by art practitioners of China and Sierra Leone was a specific move to implement the demand of the heads of two countries. It would enhance the friendship and mutual understanding of people form our two countries; be a cultural gift presented at the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relation and add cultural strength to the comprehensive partnership between China and Sierra Leone.

    Memunatu Pratt sent his congratulation to the 100^th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. He said that since the establishment of the diplomatic relationship, the two countries had been treating each other in an equal, earnest and friendly way and launching win-win cooperation in aspects including tourism and culture. Sierra Leone thanked China particularly for it’s support in the fighting against the Ebola and Covid-19. This performance was a great opportunity to push forward the cultural cooperation between the two countries. At the end of the speech, Memunatu Pratt expressed his sincere greeting to Chinese audience in the main languages of his countries, including Creole, Mande and Temne.

    The online performance could be divided into three parts, namely chapters of “Chinese culture”, “Sierra Leone culture” and “friendship between China and Sierra Leone”. The event was co-organized by China National Opera&Dance Drama Theater. Artists from both countries used songs, music and dances to show unique and amazing art; to present two countries’ spirit to be optimistic and never afraid of hardship and to convey the beautiful vision to create a promising future through cooperation. Matiatu, a famous Sierra Leone in China, sang “I love Beijing, I love Africa”, her new song made to mark the 50^th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relationship between the two countries. The performance could be seen on China’s central radio and television station, Chinaculture.org, Sierra Leone National Television and the African channel of the “StarTimes”.