Government officials from Heilongjiang province and Russia at the press conference, Beijing, June 5. [Photo by Li Hongrui/provided to Chinaculture.org]

Government officials from Heilongjiang province and Russia have announced the start date for the 8th Sino-Russia Cultural Fair.

The information of the fair, which will be held for five days from June 22, was made known at a news conference at the Russian embassy in Beijing on June 5, and the event will be held by Heihe city in Heilongjiang and Russia's Amur Oblast administrative center, Blagoveshchensk.

As an implication of the Belt and Road Initiative, the fair will further be held simultaneously in the two countries. The 2017 event will highlight cultural travel in 33 activities across seven categories, which will include fairs, high-level forums and art performances. The cultural travel focus at the fair was designed to combine culture and travel, while informing the public about the natural beauty and cultural history of Heihe.

Painters from China and Russia will also have a joint sketch at the event, under the theme of River of Friendship. The China Ethnic Song and Dance Ensemble, along with a Russian folk dance ensemble, will further perform during the gala at the opening ceremony of the fair.

The 8th Sino-Russia Cultural Fair will feature many exhibitions of Russian craftworks, along with Chinese and Russian paintings, and art works from university students of the two countries. Up to 20 countries and regions, as well as 50 enterprises, are expected to attend the occasion.

One of China's National Intangible Cultural Heritages, the Oroqen ethnic group's festival to worship God of Fire, will also be displayed at the event. The performance will enable visitors to experience the Oroqen people's horse racing, fencing and wrestling in person.

At the press conference, held on June 5, Mayor of Heihe Xie Baolu expressed his love for the city, as well as his determination to promote the cultural fair to strengthen the friendship between the two nations.

"June 5 marks the coming of Grain in Ear, one of the 24 solar terms in Chinese culture," he said.

"The term signifies a busy time for farmers to sow and harvest. We are having this press conference for the cultural fair on this day, wishing the cultural fair could be fruitful to Chinese and Russian people."