(Chengdu) As one of the main “China Cultural Heritage Day” activities, and a part of “Chengdu International Festival of Intangible Cultural Heritage”， 2009 “BMW China Culture Journey” kick-off & Donation Ceremony takes place at the Jinsha Site Museum in Chengdu. With “An Indestructible Spiritual Home” as its 2009 theme, this year’s “BMW China Culture Journey” will showcase the cultural gems in the affected provinces, fully demonstrate the remarkable achievement of safeguarding their spiritual home by the optimistic and determined people one year after the earthquake, and contribute donations to the salvaging and protection of severely devastated cultural relics through China Charity Federation BMW Warm-Heart Fund. Meanwhile, the journey will explore effective ways to deal with disaster and restore cultural ecology, and help enhance social consciousness towards the protection of traditional culture. Dr. Zheng Changling, Researcher of Chinese Academy of Arts and Deputy-Director of the Protection Center of Intangible Cultural Heritage of China (PCICH), Mr. Li Xindao, Honorary Deputy President of China Charity Federation, Dr. Christoph Stark, President and CEO of BMW Group Region China, Mr. Olaf Kastner, President and CEO of BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd., intangible cultural heritage experts and media representitives attended this event.
At 10:30 AM, the Culture Journey Car Fleet, made up of 19 BMW vehicles, then set off from the Jinsha Site Museum in Chengdu for the 9-day journey, which will cover approximately 2,200 kilometers. The car fleet, consisting of culture experts, media, warm-heart BMW bloggers, associates and dealer representatives, will embark on a journey deep into earthquake jeopardized cities such as Mianzhu, Du Jiang Yan and Mao County of Wenchuan inhabited by Qiang Minorities in Sichuan and affected areas in Gansu, to review the reconstruction and cultural restoration progress, and finally conclude this journey at the Regong Cultural Ecological Reserve Area in Qinghai. The fleet will also visit cultural heritage inheritors dedicated to these traditional folk arts, to provide a multi-perspective understanding of the charm of intangible cultural heritage.
Recovery from the Earthquake, Enhacing the Protective Social Consciousness
According to reports within affected provinces, Sichuan, Gansu, and Shaanxi, 39 national-level and 141 provincial-level “intangible cultural heritage” items and areas registered different levels of damage. In particular, the greatest devastation took place in areas inhabited by over 300 thousand Qiang people, a beautiful minority featured with their unique culture lasting for thousands of years. The Chengdu Consensus adopted by the International Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Forum at the Second International Intangible Cultural Heritage Festival of Chengdu stated: Intangible cultural heritage is an important component of cultural heritage of all humanity. It is not only the life memory and living gene of different human communities, but also a significant indicator of cultural identity, fundamental source for human creativity and the spiritual homeland of various ethnic groups. Henceforth, the protection of intangible cultural heritage is as important as economic development in the process of rebuilding the disaster-ridden areas. It should be considered a basic necessity for the promotion of sustainable social development and building of a harmonious society in the long run.
At the donation ceremony, On behalf of CCF BMW Warm-heart Fund, Mr. Olaf Kastner, President and CEO of BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd., and Mr. Li Xindao, Honorary Deputy President of China Charity Federation, presented a donation of 1 Million RMB to the Protection Center of Intangible Cultrural Heritage of China (PCICH). The donation will be used as the protection fund of the Mianzhu New Year Woodblock Painting, Qiang Embroidery & Flute in Sichuan, White Horse Tibetan Drama, Wu Du Mountain Drama, Sheepskin Fan-Drum Dance in Gansu, Lue Yang Folk Song and Ning Qiang Duangong Spiritual Dance in Shaanxi, and Re Gong Art in Qinghai. On their way, the fleet will also seek effective and new methods in dealing with disasters, salvaging and inheriting intangible cultural heritage, and restoring cultural ecology. While reviewing the disaster, the fleet also wishes to call upon society to contemplate the future of folk culture, re-enhance Protective Social Consciousness and rebuild an indestructible spiritual home.
Dr. Christoph Stark, President and CEO of BMW Group Region China said, “A country’s essence; its spiritual home, is composed of its culture and cultural treasures. After last year’s earthquake, we are determined to see a joyous cultural festival take place here in Sichuan, and applaud the people here for their determination, optimism, and remarkable achievement in rebuilding their Spiritual Home. Today, by unveiling the 2009 “BMW China Culture Journey” in light of the BMW Warm-Heart Fund’s one-year anniversary, we hope to further restore and protect cultural relics in areas of greatest need, especially to the beautiful, unique, and thousand-year-old Qiang minority culture. The BMW Warm-Heart Fund will continue to pool collective efforts for the journey in practicing our long-term commitment to protect our cultural gene in years to come.”
Three Years’ Footprint, A Mark of Commitment to Cultural Inheritance
When “BMW China Culture Journey” concludes its trip in 2009, the total number of cultural heritage items visited along the journey will exceed 100, with a total monetary contribution of over 3 million to 28 tangible and intangible cultural heritage items. Meanwhile, the number of reporters and journalists involving into this event will exceed 600, generating thousands of informative and colorful media clippings. These reports have greatly enhanced the public’s awareness of protecting intangible cultural heritage by presenting them with vivid displays and multi-perspective understanding of the precious cultural treasures.
Dr. Zheng Changling, Researcher of Chinese Academy of Arts and Deputy-Director of the Protection Center of Intangible Cultural Heritage of China noted, “June 13th, 2009 marks the fourth ‘Cultural Heritage Day’ in China, with this year’s theme being ‘Promoting Traditional Culture, Inheriting Chinese Civilization’. The success of ‘Cultural Heritage Day’ has contributed a great deal to livening national spirit, promoting Chinese culture, enhancing cultural soft power and constructing spiritual home for Chinese nation. Meanwhile, active social participation has also been key to the remarkable progress in intangible cultural heritage protection. As part of the main activities of 'Cultural Heritage Day', 'BMW China Culture Journey' has set up a pre-eminent example of social participation within the protection of intangible cultural heritage, and has achieved great success through out its three expeditions. It will have very significant impact on promoting China's intangible cultural heritage protection work and enhancing social awareness in this respect.”
In October, BMW and the PCICH will host a “Three-Year ‘BMW China Culture Journey’ Exhibition”, summarizing the accomplishments, findings and stories gathered over the last three “BMW China Culture Journeys”. The exhibition will share with the general public and culture enthusiasts, valuable memories and knowledge gathered from the 3 journeys through photos, videos and a collection of cultural relics and artifacts gathered during this period.
BMW China Corporate Social Contribution Activities：A Long Term Commitment to Chinese Society
As a world-leading premium car manufacturer, BMW Group attaches high importance to its growth in China and takes a proactive role in the construction of a harmonious society in China. Sustainability has been a core strategy for BMW China and BMW Brilliance. After the shattering earthquake on May 12th, 2008, BMW China and BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd. joined hands and immediately donated 10 million RMB in relief funding. With this money, and under the direction of the China Charity Foundation (CCF), the CCF BMW Warm-Heart Fund was established to provide all BMW customers, employees, dealerships, and friends of the BMW brand with a platform to pool their collective warm-heart efforts. In 2009, BMW will also be promoting BMW Corporate Social Contribution Activities as listed below:
- “BMW Culture Night” which supports Liaoning Ballet Troupe to give performances in northeastern China.- A five-year program “BMW China Excellent University Student Award” in cooperation with the Soong Ching Ling Foundation. This program includes internship opportunities for award-receiving students
- A long-term program designed for kids aged four to six and rolled out in 18 cities “BMW Children’s Traffic Safety Education”, etc.
