BEIJING: Foreign students from over 30 nations and regions, including Pakistan, performed alongside their Chinese counterparts in a roadside concert that captured the attention of onlookers in Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou Province in southwest China.
One of the highlights of the 2024 China-ASEAN Education Exchange Week, the concert gave young people a platform to meet people from different countries and demonstrate their unique cultures.
Pakistani singer Manha Abdellah performed two songs, one of which was a medley performed with other foreign students. She has been a clinical medicine student at Guizhou Medical University.
“The audience was very enthusiastic, especially when I mentioned that I was from Pakistan. They cheered loudly, reflecting the strong friendship between China and Pakistan,” she said with a warm smile.
The history of roadside concerts in Guiyang dates back to 1937, when locals were taught to sing patriotic songs by certain musical groups, which inspired them to fight back against Japanese aggression during the Chinese People’s War of Resistance.
Pop songs currently rule the concerts, which are held in various busy areas of the city and are played by local bands and music aficionados, as per China Daily. This practice has continued into the modern day.
A concert in the Guanshanhu District of the city took on unexpected appeal in 2023. It took place in an underground passageway.
The performance went viral on social media, turning the roadside concert into a bustling local cultural destination.
This unique version of the international youth concert took place at Guiyang’s iconic Wenchang Pavilion.
According to data, over 30 concerts have taken place here, drawing in close to 70,000 attendees in person and reaching over 1 billion people online.
One of the concert’s hosts was Russian native Roshenskaia Svetlana. Her expression showed a tinge of apprehension, but she was too excited to disguise it.
“I’ve never taken part in a roadside concert before. The atmosphere was lively and the audience was really friendly. I also made a lot of acquaintances from other nations,” the woman remarked.
The 20-year-old has produced multiple videos exhibiting Chinese intangible cultural heritage and has a special interest in it.
Waving glowing sticks, Cai Juping, a local college student, enjoyed the concert as a spectator for the first time and spoke highly of the fresh experience.
“Though they are not professional singers, the international students are all very confident, which is great,” said Cai. “I think the roadside concert is not just an occasion to promote cultural exchange; it can also help those students who live far from home feel more joy and fun while living in China.”
