DAMASCUS -- The Chinese Embassy in Syria on Wednesday donated a vast collection of Chinese books, translated into both English and Arabic, to the Al-Assad National Library, the largest public library in Syria.
The donation event took place at the library in the capital Damascus in the presence of Chinese Ambassador to Syria, Shi Hongwei, and Syria's Minister of Culture, Lubanah Mshaweh, highlighting the growing cultural exchange between China and Syria.
The donated books cover a wide range of subjects, including Chinese history, literature, and contemporary culture, providing Syrian readers with a comprehensive view of China's rich cultural heritage.
Shi expressed hope that the new section dedicated to Chinese literature would become a valuable resource for the Syrian public.
"We hope that this section for Chinese books could serve as a window for the Syrian people to get to know China," he said.
"We see that the Assad Library is one of the most important and largest Arab libraries, and hopefully, we will have more cooperation with the Assad Library to provide more of the new books or to have more cooperation in the near future," he said.
Mshaweh, for her side, emphasized the importance of cultural exchange in her remarks at the event.
"The cultural window is the most beautiful window through which people enter towards each other, getting to know their customs, traditions, and understanding each other," Mshaweh said.
"Ignorance dissipates, fears vanish, and each learns about the other and how friendships can be established with this country, in addition to close cooperation in all aspects of life," she added.