On July 22, 2016, the National Art Museum (NAMOC) held a farewell party for the five interns from Hong Kong and Macao when they completed their internship. The interns shared their feelings over working and studying in NAMOC and summed up their achievements in the past month.

The social practice activity for college students from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan is a name brand activity of the Ministry of Culture for cultural exchange between young people from the Chinese mainland and those from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. It is aimed at promoting coordinated development of expertise and practical ability of college students from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, and deepening their understanding of the Chinese culture and national conditions. As the only national art museum of China, NAMOC has give full support and taken an active part in the exchange activity since the activity officially started. In 2016, NAMOC received four college students from Hong Kong and one from Macao as interns.

NAMOC curator Wu Weishan said that “We should say that it is to a great extent seeking roots for college students from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan to work as interns in NAMOC.” What are exhibited in NAMOC are Chinese outstanding traditional culture as well as first-class creations of the contemporary era. It has virtually put college students from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan in the environment of Chinese excellent culture, and the context of dialogue between China and the rest of the world.

To enrich their social practice life and enable them to fully understand the cultural atmosphere of Beijing as the capital city, NAMOC arranged the interns to tour and visit the cultural institutions of Prince Gong Mansion, Capital Museum and Palace Museum, arousing their strong interest in the Chinese traditional culture.

Wu Weishan said in a later interview that the cultural practice activity is significant in that the interns could find out cultural identity and feeling of belonging in the capital city. Meanwhile, they could have first-hand experience on the state of Chinese social and cultural development by means of learning. When they go back to the environment they grow up, they will promote the ideal of Chinese Dream. They could experience a feeling from the cultural context and bloodline that is tolerant to foreign culture. The collision of various cultures will generate new thoughts and culture.

The interns said that in the one month of social practice, they have felt the thick cultural and artistic atmosphere, and got acquainted with the work procedures of the art museum. It opened up their visions, and enriched their life experience, and had more profound understanding of the excellent culture of the motherland. The experience in the short one month will be most precious memory in their lives.

In the farewell party, Wu Weishan said that “I want to keep up the cultural feelings of all Chinese people and build up the Chinese power through this palace of art, beauty, culture and young students like you. You are young, and you are the hope for the future. I believe when the seeds of Chinese culture and beauty are sown, you will grow up even better. You will surely become pillar of the society in the near future, and spread the sense of cultural root. I believe you will lead more people to return to the embrace of Chinese culture.”