China is increasingly enthusiastic about the values and projects in Cittaslow

Candidate cities and districts “go to Cittaslow school” led by already certified cities. Once the long pandemic parenthesis is over, the “reflective modernity” carried out by Cittaslow is increasingly making inroads into Chinese communities, small and large.

The first post-Covid in-person assembly of the Chinese Cittaslows took place in Yaxi, the first of the Cittaslows in China, in the Gaochun district.

The delegates from the thirteen Chinese Cittaslows and the cities in the process of being certified were able to appreciate the visits in the field, in the village of Yaxi and its surroundings. Forty thousand inhabitants in forty square kilometers of countryside cultivated with organic farming, where cutting-edge craft and “Cittaslow Tourism” activities have flourished.

The annual assembly and a communication event of the Chinese Cittaslows were held in Yaxi from September 21 to 23, in which representatives of the Chinese Cittaslows and candidate cities participated. On the morning of September 22nd, the city representatives participated in the opening ceremony of the 23rd “Gaochun Gucheng Lake Crab Festival”, they experienced the activities of the Yaxi festival with cultural activities and experiential tourism, acquiring the necessary know-how to inherit and carry forward popular culture and local cuisine through the Cittaslow model.

The Cittaslow China 2023 Technical Coordination Meeting was held on September 22. Yaxi, Yanyang, Jingyang and other Cittaslows exchanged their experiences and compared the characteristics of Cittaslow work. Lingao, Liangdang and other Cittaslow candidate districts reported on the progress of their creative work in the area. During the meeting, Yaxi promoted two innovative projects, the “Travel-in-Cittaslow Small Program” and the “Cittaslow Heroes-Youth Outdoor Challenge”, to demonstrate the integration of the Cittaslow concept into culture, tourism, sport and in other fields.

On the morning of September 23, a training session was held for the areas undergoing certification, informing them of the origins of Cittaslow, the concept and values of Cittaslow, and the development direction of Chinese Cittaslow. On this occasion, the key points and critical issues were also illustrated, to clarify any misunderstanding or incorrect approach from the outset. The objective is to prevent errors and uncertainties based on the positive experiences already applied and tested, and to resolve problems that may arise during the certification process in Cittaslow in China.

Question and answer sessions were also organized to guide Cittaslow candidate districts to thoroughly understand the concept and project work of Cittaslow. “The communication actions of the Chinese Cittaslow - explained the Coordinator of Cittaslow China, Mr. Xing Guihao - The meetings also built a bridge of exchange and cooperation between the different Cittaslows and between them and the Cittaslow candidate districts undergoing certification. Together we will continue to promote the development, growth and innovation of international Cittaslow in China.”

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