"Marco Polo Cup" for global solicit article on travels to the Grand Canal of China held

Marco Polo (1254-1324), is a famous Italian Venetian merchant and explorer. The release of “Travels of Macro Polo" has greatly enriched the geographical knowledge of Europeans, spread the "desirable Chinese civilization" to Europe, and turn a new page for Sino-Western exchanges.

Marco Polo once came to China with his father and uncle through the Silk Road as an official of the Yuan Dynasty. Marco Polo has lived in China for 17 years and has traveled across 57 cities in China, such as Beijing, Hangzhou, and Yangzhou, etc.

These cities are recorded in detail in the book "Travels of Marco Polo", which describes the civilization and prosperity of Chinese cities, mostly related to the Grand Canal. In history, the Grand Canal of China is an important channel for world trade, transportation and cultural exchanges, and it has left an indelible mark on the history of human society.

In late November 2020, the People’s Government of Yangzhou City held the "Sino-German Business Cooperation and Yangzhou Food Appreciation Conference" in Shanghai. Dr. Christine D. Althauser, Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Shanghai, specifically mentioned in her speech that Marco Polo is a friendly envoy of cultural exchanges between the East and the West. Europe learned about ancient Chinese civilization from Marco’s travelogue, which aroused European people's yearning for the mysterious Orient. Yangzhou has the only Marco Polo Memorial Hall in China, which attracts many western tourists to visit every year.

To share Chinese culture with the world and tell the story of the Grand Canal, we investigated a lot. The "Marco Polo Cup" for global solicit article on travels to the Grand Canal of China will be hold in Yangzhou. The relevant matters are as follows:

I.Supporters, Sponsors and Organizers

Supporters:

China Public Diplomacy Association（CPDA）

Jiangsu Tourism Association

China Overseas Chinese Town

Yangzhou Museum (Marco Polo Memorial)

Sponsors:

Yangzhou Public Diplomacy Association

Yangzhou Tourism Association

Yangzhou Canal Culture Investment Group

Yangzhou World Historic and Cultural Canal Cities Cooperation Organization Cultural Development Foundation

Organizers:

Shanghai Public Diplomacy Association

Wenzhou Public Diplomacy Association

Nanjing Public Diplomacy Association

Hefei Friendship Association

Qingtian Public Diplomacy Association

College of International Studies, YangZhou University

Yangzhou Writers Association

II.Objects

Solicit articles at home and abroad

III. Schedule

Launch: mid-January 2021

Notice:April 2021

Deadline: end of July 2021

Selection: August 2021

Award: mid-September 2021

IV. Article requirements

1. Articles should highlight the role of the Grand Canal in social development, urban construction, cultural nourishment, transportation and irrigation, people's livelihood, ecological environment and the like. In a word, articles should be centered around the Grand Canal of China and its related functions and has a unique perspective, a novel idea and a beautiful writing style.

2. Manuscripts must be original, unused and unpublished, in Chinese or English. Images and photos are allowed to use in the manuscript, and the words limits is between 1,000 to 5,000 words. Please label "Marco Polo Cup" for global solicit article on travels to the Grand Canal of China when submitting articles, and provide author's name, nationality, identity and contact information.

3. No entry fee will be charged and the manuscript will not be returned. The organizer has the copyright of editing and publishing, and can make necessary amendments or deletions to the manuscripts.

V. Related matters

1.Submission mailbox of Shanghai Public Diplomacy Association: [email protected].

2.If there are more than 1000 solicited articles, Yangzhou Public Diplomacy Association will invite relevant experts to form a jury for the award. The articles will be divided into two groups, domestic and overseas, to award appropriate bonuses or prizes to the winners, and Yangzhou Canal Cultural Investment Group will assist in designing the prizes. Awards: 3 first prizes winners(including 1 domestic and 2 overseas), each awarded RMB 50,000; 6 second prize winners (including 2 domestic and 4 overseas), each awarded RMB 10,000; 9 third prize winners (including 3 domestic and 6 overseas), each awarded RMB 5000; 20 excellent award (including 10 domestic and 10 overseas), each will receive a souvenir for RMB 500.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)