Introduction

The Silk Road to the Future

The Silk Road to the Future is sponsored by Legends of China and is a celebration of international friendship and goodwill between college students from prestigious universities across the United States and China. Started in 2001, The Silk Road to the Future tour is offered every summer and will culminate in 2008 when Beijing hosts the world community for the first Olympic Games held in China.

The central theme of The Silk Road to the Future is, of course, silk. This event draws its theme from the ancient Silk Road trade route that facilitated early cultural communication between China and Europe nearly 2000 years ago. Your participation symbolizes the “weaving together of modern cultural threads” into a beautiful fabric of unity that will bond the two nations during the coming millennium. Every year until the Olympics, students in The Silk Road to the Future tour, both Chinese and American, produce a silk artwork focusing on World Peace that, when sewn together, will form a banner stretching over 10,000 meters. This tapestry will be presented to the Beijing Olympic Committee and will be carried out during the Opening Ceremonies of China’s 2008 Olympics.

Founded in 1996, Legends of China’s goal is to establish strong relationships and opportunities for U.S. and Chinese educators, artists and environmentalists. To date, it has hosted hundreds of renowned educators, artists and students from both countries. In the future, it will host thousands more as it continues to create new bridges for greater cooperation and understanding between the two nations through increased cultural exchange and understanding.