An important part of the fifth Maritime Silk Road International Arts Festival, the International Art Development Seminar will take place in Quanzhou on Dec 9.

Themed "harmony and unity for common good", the seminar will gather more than 80 guests from home and abroad, including well-known experts and scholars in the fields of cultural relics, intangible culture protection, art, economy, tourism and literature from countries like the United States, France, Italy, Argentina, Holland, Poland and Spain.

The topics at the event will include "heritage and contemporary expression of culture and art on the Maritime Silk Road", "sustainable development of human development and natural balance on the Maritime Silk Road", and "artistic empowerment and value embodiment in the integration of culture and tourism". The participants will also discuss ways to enhance the image of Quanzhou through contemporary art projects and activities, and offer suggestions to improve Quanzhou's international popularity and attractiveness.

Among the foreign guests invited are Jean-François Larrieu, a painter and the current President of the Taylor Foundation, and Verónica Noelia Flores, professor of history at the School of Literature and Philosophy of the University of Buenos Aires in Argentina.