A choir concert along the Grand Canal in Beijing's Tongzhou District featured singers from multiple countries on colorfully decorated floating boats, performing before over 10,000 audience members who lined the illuminated riverbanks, creating a vibrant, theatrical atmosphere.

This event brought together 275 singers and 640 community choir members, including professional choirs from Seychelles, Bulgaria, and Russia, as well as top vocal ensembles in China. The three-and-a-half-hour-long concert fostered cross-cultural exchange and mutual enrichment through the universal language of music.

"The kind of mix -- music is universal. It doesn't matter which language you are singing. Different choirs from different region -- from China or from another country -- it shows you the culture and the diversity in the culture itself in China, and all over the world. It's something just beautiful," said Julien Alexis, a tenor of the Seychelles National Choir.

Julian said this was his seventh time performing in China, but his first time doing so on the water in front of such a large audience. Beyond their musical repertoire, the choir also brought along a collection of photographs showcasing the iconic landscapes of Seychelles, hoping to give people in China a closer look at their homeland.

"I expect it to be a very emotional moment, and I expect everybody will unify. We'll be in harmony -- everybody in harmony together. Let this resonate all over Beijing, all over China, all over the world," he said.

Terence Gomme, another tenor of the Seychelles National Choir, said: "With friendship and love, that's the most important part out of it -- getting to know new friends and all that."

The warm hospitality of the Chinese people and the rich cultural diversity left these international artists full of admiration.

"I can say that we felt extremely heartfully welcomed here. We got introduced to the culture, to the new places, and we love to see every day something new about China and learn about their culture, their food. And also by listening to other choirs, we can learn a lot about the music and their traditions," said Niya Stoyanova, a singer of a Bulgarian vocal ensemble "Fortissimo."

The concert is part of Tongzhou's broader strategy to build a weekend cultural tourism brand, and according to local culture and tourism officials, more events of this kind are already being planned.

Moving forward, we will continue to host our signature 'Super Weekend' event series. Leveraging the unique urban landscape formed by the Grand Canal waterways and the contiguous sea of flowers, we aim to create water-and-land integrated experiences that blend culture, commerce, tourism, sports, and exhibitions for all ages," said Zhang Yan, director of the culture and tourism bureau of Tongzhou District.