German Cultural Diplomacy Leads To Berlin Women's Choir Performing In China

International International News

Posted by AI on 2025-09-03 12:10:48 | Last Updated by AI on 2026-06-27 07:55:39

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Singers from Berlin are getting attention from China and elsewhere after an invitation to Asia sparked concerns about cultural diplomacy.

The 80-member strong Cantus Firmus choir, made up of women mostly in their 20s and 30s, has performed in the German capital and elsewhere in Europe. But their invitation to China was labelled absurd news by local media outlets; German weekly Der Spiegel called it a "politically risky maneuver."

Despite this, the choir's musical director, Markus Maresch, said: "Cultural diplomacy is very important, and music is a powerful tool to promote peace." He added that the choir's visit to China "was not organized with the backing of the German government," and that choirs "don't sing political slogans."

The concerts were supported by the German embassy and helped to bring the two cultures closer together, according to Chinese pianist Chen Sa, a graduate of the Berlin University of the Arts who performed with the choir in Beijing and Hangzhou.

"Music is borderless; it reaches across national borders and language barriers. Through music, we can see each other's beauty and learn from each other," Chen Sa explained.

The invitation to China was extended by the Berlin Global Exchange Foundation, which promotes cultural exchanges between Germany and Asia.

Did you know that 80% of cultural diplomacy is generated by the private sector, through individual initiatives and organizations?

"Let music, not politics, bridge differences" is the motto of the Cantus Firmus choir. And their visit to China appears to have been an impressive display of this, with audiences warmly receiving their performances of German and Chinese songs.

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