On August 25 local time, the 2026 “Nanjing Week” – Central‑Asia Trade and Cultural Exchange Event officially kicked off at the National Library of Kyrgyzstan. Representatives from governments, cultural institutions and publishing circles of China and Kyrgyzstan gathered for this civilizational dialogue rooted in the ancient Silk Road. Hosted by the Nanjing Municipal People’s Government, the event counts Nanjing University of the Arts (NUA) among its key organizers.

NUA curated the special exhibition Interwoven Threads: Brocade and Felt, Weaving Civilizations Together, and led the creation of the scroll artwork "Mountains‑Rivers in Weave" co‑produced by Chinese and Kyrgyz intangibleculturalheritage (ICH) inheritors. Both works stood out as highlights of the opening ceremony. Curated by Professor Zhang Ming from NUA, the exhibition takes “Cultural Empathy, Co‑existence of Civilizations” as its concept and interlaced fibers as its visual theme. It brings together Jiangnan silk civilization and steppe wool civilization, showing the value of traditional Chinese‑Kyrgyz crafts and their millennia‑long cultural interactionsfrom four perspectives: historical evolution, craft inheritance, cultural exchange and contemporary creation.

The exhibition features stories of craftsmen: the family of Chen Cheng, inheritor of Nanjing Yunjin brocade, and Kyrgyzstan’s “Seven Sisters” felt‑craft clan. Their living practices illustrate dialogue among civilizations and have won high acclaim from cultural communities in both countries. Unveiled at the opening, the co‑created scroll "Mountains‑Rivers in Weave" combines Yunjin brocade’s “warp‑floating weft‑intermittent” weaving technique with Central‑Asian felt‑fulling craft. It integrates cultural symbols such as Silk‑Road mountains, horn‑shaped patterns and Chinese knots. The piece vividly embodies mutual learning and shared prosperity among diverse civilizations.

Launched in 2015, “Nanjing Week” serves as a vital platform for Nanjing’s international cultural outreach. NUA has deeply participated in its planning and execution since its inception. The year 2026 marks the Year of High‑quality China‑Central Asia Cooperation and the 25th anniversary of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Drawing on urban culture, this event advances people‑to‑people bonds between China and Kyrgyzstan. Side‑events included the unveiling of a “Reading Nanjing” book corner, release of the Sino‑Kyrgyz writer‑in‑residence program, and an award ceremony for the First China‑Central‑Asia Youth Three‑Line‑Poetry Contest. Forthcoming programs cover cultural‑tourism promotion and Silk‑Road ICH dialogues.

Leveraging its strengths in art disciplines and ICH research, NUA exerts its curatorial and creative capabilities. It builds bridges for cross‑cultural communication and contributes NUA‑style wisdom and strength to international people‑to‑people exchanges and the global promotion of fine traditional Chinese culture.