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NINGBO, China, Sept. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The year 2025 marks both the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union and the 20th anniversary of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between China and Spain. On 26 September 2025, the “Ningbo in Light and Shadow” Special Exhibition opened at the China Cultural Center in Madrid (Centro Cultural de China en Madrid). The exhibition, which has toured 19 countries and attracted wide attention, arrives in Madrid as the show’s first presentation in Western Europe and as an important initiative responding to the Action Plan for Strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the People’s Republic of China and the Kingdom of Spain (2025–2028).
VIPs from China, the UN World Tourism Organization, the Chinese Embassy in Spain, and other entities inaugurated the exhibition.
The exhibition is organized by the Ningbo International Communication Center, with strong support from the China Cultural Center in Madrid and the China National Tourism Office in Madrid (Oficina Nacional de Turismo de China en Madrid). It is divided into four chapters — “Shared Beauty of China and Spain,” “Happiness and Harmony,” “Urban and Rural Charm,” and “Dynamic Growth” — and each photograph is accompanied by bilingual captions in Chinese and Spanish, showcasing cultural exchange and mutual learning between China and Spain as well as Ningbo’s urban development journey and landscape.
The opening ceremony drew more than 100 guests, including representatives from the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Chinese institutions in Spain, Spanish government officials and representatives from various sectors, Chinese business associations in Spain, and members of the media.
The “Ningbo in Light and Shadow” exhibition uses the art of photography to tell the story of Ningbo, a major eastern port city, and its history of international exchange; it stands as a model for promoting dialogue that moves beyond material exchange to spiritual engagement, highlighting interaction between East and West.
Since its inaugural launch in Cambodia in May 2024, the exhibition has toured 19 countries — including Bangladesh, the United States, Canada, and Benin — attracting nearly 460,000 visitors and receiving widespread acclaim. The official social media account of the Office of the Prime Minister of Cambodia liked and shared related posts twice, and the Chinese Embassy in Canada posted on its overseas account: “Ningbo has showcased its unparalleled beauty and charm to Canadian audiences. While the city’s name means ‘a peaceful sea with calm waves,’ its passion for international exchange is as vibrant as splashing water.”
“Ningbo’s history, told through light, shadow and photography, symbolizes China’s opening-up and stands as a testament to the city’s journey alongside the world,” said Marcel Leijzar, Deputy Director of the Department of International Development and Cooperation at the UN World Tourism Organization.
Scene from the opening ceremony.
