The 16th edition of Fete de la Musique was held in Beijing, promoting cultural exchange between China and France, coinciding with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the China-France Year of Cultural Tourism.

The festival has been celebrated annually on the summer solstice since its inception in 1982 in France.
"We had the idea at the French Embassy to bring this tradition to China because we thought it would be a great way to foster our cooperation. It's a big celebration and it's very popular in France. Ever since the beginning of the 80s, we'll have over 400 events in more than 30 cities all over China. We have set up a few programs to help young artists to better to know China, to meet Chinese artists so that they can cooperate together," said Nicolas Pillerel, Minister Counsellor for Culture, Education and Scientific Affairs of French Embassy in China.
Participants, including performers and audience members, spoke highly of the festival and believe it would promote cultural exchanges between China and France.
"I think that these cultural exchanges are really important for just realizing the world around us, learning new things, genres, musicians, and we should definitely continue to promote the exchange of cultures," said Laila Amsallem, singer and songwriter.
As a highlight of the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of China-France relations and the Year of Cultural Tourism, this year's Fete de la Musique has been an unforgettable experience for all attendees.