The 2025 Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) Week kicked off at the Duty-Free Shop for Diplomatic Missions in Beijing on Wednesday.

The event attracted over 140 Chinese and foreign guests, including Frances Lanitou, Cyprus ambassador to China, and Arthur Williams, Jamaican ambassador to the country, as well as diplomatic personnel and inheritors of intangible cultural heritage.

The event showcased the charm of Chinese ICH traditions such as shadow puppetry, wood lacquer carvings, and printmaking, while also marking the grand reopening of the store’s renovated underground space.

Lanitou extended New Year greetings in Chinese and said such cultural exchange events not only inject new vitality into bilateral relations but also strengthen the bond between nations. Cyprus, like China, boasts a long history and rich intangible cultural heritage, she added.

Williams praised the cultural feast, saying it highlights China’s profound historical heritage and offers the world a window into Chinese civilization. He said he hoped to see more such events in the future.

Foreign visitors at the event said it allowed them to witness an impressive array of ICH products and gain a deep appreciation for the exquisite craftsmanship and rich cultural heritage behind traditional techniques.

The event featured a diverse range of activities, including live demonstrations by Fan Fangyi, the eighth-generation inheritor of Mount Tai shadow puppetry, as well as captivating performances such as lion dances, pipa musical showcases and shadow puppet plays.

Visitors watched and experienced traditional ICH items firsthand, with highlights such as Shanxi Linfen Taiping embroidered balls, Beijing-style fried sauce noodles, and other distinctive ICH products and delicacies. In addition, visitors also explored Chinese national gift ceramics, glass art products and intricately carved prints.

The event was hosted by the Beijing Comprehensive Services for Diplomatic Missions Company and organized by the Linfen Federation of Industry and Commerce and Aumian Duty Free Group.