World Poets Celebrate the 4th Silk Road International Poetry Spring Festival

The global cultural scene has witnessed a remarkable poetic event with the release of the official trailer for the 4th Silk Road International Poetry Spring Festival Gala, scheduled to take place on January 8, 2026, in Xi’an, China. The trailer presents a vibrant celebration of poetry as a universal language, bringing 22 poets together poetic voices and blessings from 15 countries across different continents, including China, the United States, Russia, Italy, Australia, Greece, Egypt, Switzerland, Chile, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Belgium, South Korea, Malaysia, and New Zealand. Through this rich diversity, the festival reaffirms the Silk Road not merely as a historic trade route, but as a living cultural bridge that continues to connect civilizations through creativity and imagination.

Organized by the China Shaanxi Sanqin Cultural Research Association in cooperation with the Silk Road International Poets Federation, the gala underscores a sustained vision that places poetry at the heart of intercultural dialogue. Hosting the event in Xi’an—one of the most symbolic cities of the ancient Silk Road—adds profound historical and cultural resonance, linking the legacy of exchange and openness with contemporary global poetic expression. The trailer highlights the truly international scope of the festival, both in the wide range of participating countries and in the diversity of aesthetic, linguistic, and intellectual backgrounds represented by the poets.

Leading the distinguished lineup featured in the trailer is Cao Shui, the Chinese poet who serves as Executive Chairman of the Silk Road International Federation, International Coordinator of the World Poetry Movement, Coordinator of the BRICS Writers Association, Chairman of the Beijing International Poetry Film Festival, and initiator of the Great Poetic Movement. His participation reflects his central role in shaping a global poetic vision that transcends borders and fosters cooperation among literary communities worldwide.

He said:

“Poets from China and the world! Hello! I am Cao Shui, Chinese poet, novelist, playwright, translator and Executive Chairman of Silk Road International Poetry Festival. As the Chinese Year of the Horse approaches, I wish you all good luck and success! I hope that in the new year, you can integrate the West and East cultures, integrate the ancient and modern cultures, integrate the sacred and secular cultures, and create great poetry.”

The trailer also includes prominent figures such as Han Geyou, the Chinese-American poet and President of the World Chinese Poetry Society; Ji Chunsheng, the New Zealand poet and publisher of the Global Collection Monthly of Chinese Classical Poetry and Art; and Vadim Terekhin, the Russian poet and Vice Chairman of the Russian Writers Association, as well as General Coordinator of the BRICS Writers Association and International Coordinator of the World Poetry Movement.

Further enriching the event are internationally renowned poets and cultural leaders, including Max Lu, Founder and Chairman of the United Nations World Silk Road Forum; George Wallace, American poet and Editor-in-Chief of Poetrybay; Zhang Lizhong, the Australian poet and President of the Australian-Chinese Poetry and Art Association; Dimitris P. Kraniotis of Greece; Sylvie Marie, Belgium, Lamberto Garcia, Italian poet and Chairman of the Jury of the Ossi di Seppia International Poetry Prize; and Oscar Saavedra Villarroel, the Chilean poet and American Coordinator of the World Poetry Movement. Voices from Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Americas converge to create a truly global chorus of poetry.

The Arab cultural presence is notably represented by Ashraf Aboul-Yazid, the Egyptian poet and Secretary-General of the African Journalists Association, whose participation highlights the enduring role of Arabic poetry and culture within the broader framework of international literary exchange. The trailer also features poets and cultural figures such as Raed Al-jishi from Saudi Arabia, Wu Shimei Xue, the Vietnamese-Australian poet, Jiang Bingche from South Korea, and Ling Xiaochen, President of the Poetry Society of Xianyang City in China, reinforcing the festival’s inclusive and transnational spirit.

Overall, the release of the trailer signals that the 4th Silk Road International Poetry Spring Festival Gala is far more than a ceremonial gathering. It stands as a major cultural platform that restores poetry to its vital role as a force for dialogue, understanding, and shared humanity. By reviving the symbolic spirit of the Silk Road in a contemporary poetic context, the festival offers a powerful reminder that, even in times of global uncertainty, poetry remains a unifying language capable of building bridges, celebrating diversity, and nurturing a collective vision of cultural coexistence.

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Source and photo: Euroarab International Newspaper