It's a marriage between traditions and modernity, and it gives a good overview of Chinese culture, said Jean DesiréRazafindrazaka, President of the NGO Amis du Patrimoine de Madagascar, while visiting Yongxin Huayun Intangible Cultural Heritage Experience Center on April 24, located on the historic Qianmen Avenue, in Beijing, where they watched a performance of Chinese shadow puppetry given by heirs of this traditional art form.

"I'm very impressed with this concept, because it's the first time I've seen something like that. It is not a museum or a shop, it is really a center that allows [people] to explore the culture, with, of course, a commercial aspect," he said.

Razafindrazaka was in China for the Seminar on Safeguarding the Intangible Cultural Heritage for African Specialists held by Central Academy of Cultural Administration (CACA), from April 19 to 30.

Razafindrazaka and other 12 experts from Niger, Mauritius, Madagascar, Benin, Mali and other French-speaking African countries also met with Li Yongjun, Chairman of the Board of Yongxin Huayun, who talked on the management and operation of the experience center and on the protection of intangible cultural heritage.

CACA is an education and training institute under the Ministry of Culture of China. As the first institute in China engaged in teaching and research in the field of cultural administration, CACA has trained thousands of foreign civil servants and specialists in this field.