People's Daily Online premieres documentary promoting Anyang

Yang Yi, deputy editor-in-chief of People's Daily Online, starts the video screening with Chang Huiqin, deputy mayor of Anyang. (People's Daily Online/Xu Chi)

The main ceremony for the 2024 "International Museum Day" was held on May 18 at the south square of the new hall of Yinxu Museum in Anyang, central China’s Henan Province. The event was co-organized by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Anyang Municipal Committee and the Anyang Municipal Bureau of Cultural Relics.

During the ceremony, People's Daily Online premiered "Tales of Cities," its external publicity documentary focusing on Anyang, as well as the Anyang episode of the "Tracing the Origins of Chinese Civilizations" micro-documentary series. These premieres further enhanced the influence and reach of Anyang's museums.

Yang Yi, deputy editor-in-chief of People's Daily Online, delivered an address at the launch ceremony. He noted that as a key news website of the Chinese government, People's Daily Online places great importance on local and cultural external publicity.

He further added that People’s Daily Online will continue to support Henan Province and Anyang in their efforts to promote local culture internationally and explore new paths for cooperative dissemination to showcase the beauty of Henan and Anyang to the world. By sharing local stories, they aim to tell the broader story of China and shape its image through local narratives.

"Tales of Cities" is an award-winning video column from the China Journalism Award, produced by People’s Daily Online, dedicated to shaping the contemporary international image of Chinese cities. It mainly features experiential visits by foreign reporters from People's Daily Online, focusing on the unique characteristics and themes of various places to enhance the effectiveness of international communication, helping local governments create a standout global identity.

Last month, a reporting team from People’s Daily Online visited Anyang. They showcased Anyang’s unique cultural and tourism resources, as well as its new development outlook, using the city's rich historical and cultural heritage as a foundation. This effort helped build a bridge of communication between Anyang and the broader world through visual storytelling.

"Currently, People's Daily Online has established 15 foreign language channels and runs 56 official overseas social media accounts, with a total follower base exceeding 190 million," said Yang. "We will actively utilize various external publicity platforms and channels, adopting tailored dissemination methods for different regions, countries, and audience groups. Through customized pushes, precise distribution, and segmented communication, we aim to help Anyang resonate and win hearts in the international arena."

Anyang's Deputy Mayor Chang Huiqin highlighted that in recent years, the city has vigorously promoted the construction of museums, achieving significant development in the museum industry. “Since the beginning of this year, Anyang's museums and memorials have launched over 20 special exhibitions and nearly 1,000 research and educational activities, attracting more than 2.8 million visitors,” she said. “The vitality of Anyang's museum industry continues to grow, increasingly contributing to the overall economic and social development.”

"Looking to the future, we must focus on 'museums dedicated to education and research,' further solidifying the research foundation of museums, fully utilizing their educational functions, and accelerating the healthy, sustainable, and high-quality development of Anyang's museum industry," said Chang.