The 5th "World of Love" Multicultural Carnival and "Sound of Harmony" Cultural Gala were held on October 3 & 4, 2026, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
A visiting delegation led by the Federation of Jiangsu Returned Overseas Chinese participated in a series of events, including two intangible cultural heritage (ICH) exhibitions, a multicultural fusion concert, and a Huaiyang cuisine banquet, showcasing the diverse cultural charm of Jiangnan.
Among the delegates were national-level representative ICH inheritors, four National First-Class Performers, and students and teachers from the Chinese Orchestra of Nanjing Foreign Language School.
Jiangsu Craftsmanship Captivates Vancouver
The free ICH exhibitions, one of which was held at Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, brought traditional Chinese handicrafts into the everyday lives of overseas audiences through an open and immersive format.
The Jiangsu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism set up a dedicated booth, giving visitors a glimpse of the province's cultural and tourism attractions.
Four ICH inheritors gave hands-on demonstrations and detailed explanations of Shen Embroidery from Suzhou, Huishan Clay Figurines and Wheat Straw Painting from Wuxi, as well as Qinhuai Lanterns from Nanjing. Many local residents, Chinese Canadian families, and young people stopped to watch, try the crafts themselves, and talk with the artisans.
The exhibitions also featured Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and booths from Romania, Iran, Argentina, and Indonesia.
Music Celebrates Harmony in Diversity
As the centerpiece of the carnival, the "Sound of Harmony" concert, on a diversity, coexistence, and "harmony in diversity" theme, brought together top-tier Chinese opera talent, traditional Chinese folk music, and performances by artists from many ethnic backgrounds from around the world.
Accompanied by the sanxian and pipa, renowned Suzhou Pingtan artists performed classics such as The Legend of the White Snake: Admiring the Mid-Autumn Moon, Scenes of the Qinhuai River, and Beautiful Taihu Lake in the soft, lilting Wu dialect.
Renowned Kunqu Opera artists performed "The Interrupted Dream" from the classic The Peony Pavilion, giving overseas audiences an immersive taste of the romance and elegance of the 400-year-old art.
A highlight of the concert was the opening piece, Journey of the Elephant King, a traditional Chinese orchestral work composed for CCTV's program National Treasure. The piece was performed by Nanjing Foreign Language School with the Yang Ling's Pipa & Guzheng Studio in Canada.
Reflecting the event's multicultural spirit, the concert featured Peruvian folk dance, K-pop dance, Romanian folk songs and dances, Scottish bagpipes and Highland dancing, and the traditional Indonesian Malawa dance. Local Vancouver groups also presented classical ballet, ethnic dance, and choral music.
Cuisine Connects Cultures
At the Huaiyang cuisine banquet held in Burnaby, Metro Vancouver, guests enjoyed an immersive cultural experience that engaged both sight and taste.
Sponsored by Jiangsu Yanghe Distillery, the event served as a high-profile exchange between Chinese and Western culinary cultures. Yu Xuerong, President of Jiangsu Catering Industry Association (JCA), demonstrated the traditional craft of making Yangzhou fried rice, while Canadian chef Qiang Ge showcased his signature Wagyu char siu technique.
This banquet provided a place for attending officials and industry leaders to discuss cultural exchange and friendship between China and Canada. It also produced concrete results. The JCA, the Canadian Chinese Catering Association (CACCA) and the North America Chinese Culture Promotion Society (NACCPS) signed a tripartite strategic cooperation agreement. The agreement sets up a long-term platform for culinary exchange, industry collaboration, and skills development between Jiangsu and North America.
Hosted by the NACCPS, the World of Love Multicultural Carnival has grown over five years into an influential cross-cultural exchange event in North America. It has showcased the depth of traditional Chinese culture to mainstream audiences and shown that culture is the best bond across borders and between hearts.
This year's carnival received wide recognition and support from the Canadian government, foreign consulates, local governments, and the education sector. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney sent a congratulatory letter praising the event for fostering inclusion and mutual understanding among communities. MPs Jake Sawatzky, Zoe Royer, and Ron McKinnon, as well as Hu Baoli, Consul of the Consulate General of China in Vancouver, attended and gave speeches.
Congratulatory messages also came from senior officials, including MP Parm Bains and from Fu Fengshan, Consul General of China in Vancouver. Dozens of overseas Chinese associations, co-organizers and volunteer teams supported the event.
