Those who visit China for the first time are most likely to experience an elevation of the senses. It is not only a matter of experiencing a different language being spoken, tasting new culinary flavours and walking through unique landscapes and cityscapes. The magic lies within the overwhelming vastness of a country that covers various types of terrain and incorporates more than 50 ethnic minorities, all of whom have their own distinguishing characteristics.

Watching China on film or reading books about the country’s beauty pales in comparison to physically travelling to China and seeing it with one’s own eyes. No matter how many travels are made to China, one will always find more to see and discover.

Since 2003, the China Cultural Centre (CCC) in Malta has acted as a bridge of friendship and cultural exchange between China and Malta. Through its numerous cultural events and training programmes held at its centre in Valletta, the CCC has succeeded to nourish an interest in China and strengthen the bond between the two countries. The CCC has managed to do more than that, for it has nurtured within the Maltese a profound wish to see China in person and, moreover, provided them with the opportunity to do so.

Since the opening of the centre, the CCC has organised an annual tour focusing on a different Chinese province each year for a small group of Maltese individuals. These have included writers, poets, photographers, journalists, newspaper editors, painters, sculptors, musicians and educators.

The tours inevitably left a deep impression on the Maltese visitors and many revealed that their visit to China gave them a new perspective on art and life in general. Following this positive feedback, the current director of CCC, Yang Xiaolong, decided that the experiences of Maltese people who visited China should be compiled into a book.

“More than simply describing the places visited, we are more after the experiences, the thoughts and influences which the visits in China have conveyed within the Maltese people,” Yang said.

“We have already received some intriguing material from those who have visited China through the CCC programmes. However, we are also interested to hear from other Maltese individuals who have visited China through other means and would like to communicate how these visits have affected them.”

Contributions, in English, must be approximately 1,500 words and must be accompanied with a selection of photos to illustrate the writing. The best contributions will be included in the book that will demonstrate how China is seen through the eyes of the Maltese people.

Contributions are to be sent to vellafiona@gmail.com by the end of September.