(Photos from Suzhou Foreign Affairs Office)

A touring exhibition of photographs featuring classical gardens of Suzhou, inscribed on the list of UNESCO World Heritage in 1997, opened in Venice, Italy on October 18.

The opening ceremony was held both at Suzhou Dongyuan Park and the Ca' Foscari University of Venice via video link.

As part of the China-Italy Year of Culture and Tourism, the exhibition includes 30 photographs to showcase the beauty of classical gardens from different perspectives.

Shi Jiahong, vice mayor of Suzhou, said that the government and communities have continued efforts for decades to preserve the cultural value and traditional building technique of the classical gardens.

In 42 years of sister-city relationship, Suzhou and Venice have made fruitful cooperation and exchanges in the fields of culture, tourism, economy and trade, sports, and higher education. Shi said he hopes this exhibition can further increase partnership in gardening and heritage conservation, and contribute to the protection and cooperation associated with UNESCO world heritage between China and Italy.

Suzhou Dongyuan Park (CFP Photo)

The exhibition is jointly organized by the Foreign Affairs Office of Suzhou Government, the Suzhou Municipal Bureau of Gardening, the Ca' Foscari University of Venice, the Confucius Institute at the university, and other departments of Venice.

The exhibition at the university runs from October 12 to 28. Later it will be held in Suzhou's sister-cities in France, Belgium, Denmark and Romania.