The 7th International Festival of Intangible Cultural Heritage has opened in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, showcasing over 1,100 items of intangible cultural heritage from 86 countries around the globe. The six-day festival drew participants from over 100 countries for a diverse range of activities, including forums, exhibitions and presentations of intangible cultural heritage.

As many as 40 international art troupes performed at the festival's opening ceremony on Thursday. A mix of diverse art forms, featuring Chinese drums and gongs, African dance and Scottish music, presented an audio-visual feast for the attendees.

However, the intangible cultural heritage items from around the world are the festival's highlight. The International Traditional Handicraft Exhibition features wood carvings from Bulgaria, Easter eggs from Hungary, and traditional puppets from Myanmar. Moreover, inheritors of the intangible cultural heritages are demonstrating the techniques of making handicrafts.

Solvita Zarupska, representative of Latvian Arts & Crafts Project, said she was excited to see crafts from around the world. She hopes to popularize her country and its products at the festival.

In a separate area, seven paper-cutting art pieces from Denmark and eight from China have been displayed. Same art form, but different techniques and styles, these pieces showcase the charm of different cultures. 

In addition to displaying cultural relics from around the world, this year's events also focus on the role of intangible cultural heritage in assisting poverty alleviation and developing cultural tourism.