A preview concert in Brussels will inaugurate the ASEM Cultural Festival that will present in Madrid over 40 artists from Asia and Europe

The new edition of the Asia Europe Meeting Cultural Festival will have a curtain raise in Brussels on 6 December with a concert with Nguyên Lê “Saiyuki”& Friends, featuring word music and jazz. The event precedes the programme that will gather in the Spanish capital, from 11 to 15 December, over 40 artists representing more than 10 Asian and European countries.

The Festival, under the title ‘Asia & Europe: Cultures connect’, aims to consolidate the cultural connections between different nations of the two continents and highlight the artistic diversities on occasion of the 14th ASEM Foreign Ministers Meeting that will take place in the Spanish Capital on 15 and 16 December 2019.

Hilde Hardeman, Director and Head of Service of European Commission’s Service for Foreign Policy Instruments, will kick off the Festival in Brussels at the Bozar (18.30h). “Culture is part of Europe’s DNA. Cultural exchanges contribute to mutual understanding and to consolidating and celebrating common values while respecting diversity. This is why we are very proud to continue our connection with the Asian countries through this new edition of the Festival”.

The opening event in Brussels will see on stage the talented French musician of Vietnamese origin Nguyên Lê “Saiyuki” along with Prabhu Edouard (Indian origins, one of the few table -traditional percussion instrument from India - specialists in Europe) and Mieko Miyazaki (Japanese, vocals and koto/harp). The trio will exhibit accompanied by four guest musicians from Europe. This concert, featuring the blending of diverse Asian rhythms, achieves an attractive and evocative result. The ensemble will perform as well in Madrid on 11 December.

Seven music and dance performances, artistic workshops, a virtual reality exhibition and a special exhibit on ‘ASEAN Cultural Year 2019’, make up the Festival programme, taking place in different venues across the Spanish capital city. All events presented in the Festival are free of charge upon registration.

This edition of the ASEM Cultural Festival, funded by the European Union and the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, is organised by Casa Asia with the support of the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) and Madrid City Council, under the theme ‘Asia and Europe: Cultures Connect’.

For more information:

• The invitation at the concert in Brussels
• The site of the festival: www.asemculturalfestival.com