The First U.S.-China Forum on the Arts and Culture Held in Beijing

November 16, 2011 marked the official opening of the first U.S.-China Forum on the Arts and Culture in Beijing. United States Ambassador Gary Locke and Grammy Award winning cellist Yo-yo Ma gave speeches at the opening ceremony. This four-day event was jointly organized by the Asia Society's Center on U.S.-China Relations and the Aspen Institute's Arts Program and aims to advance cultural understanding between the United States and China. The forum also represents a partnership between the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the Embassy of the United States in Beijing. Included were performances and panel discussions on the arts, culture and the humanities, a screening of Joel and Ethan Coen's Academy Award-nominated feature film, True Grit, as well as a special preview showing of Meryl Streep's upcoming film on Margaret Thatcher, The Iron Lady.