Aamir Khan and Emily Blunt receive honors at Red Sea Film Festival

In China, a significant Asia-Pacific media tour titled 'A Date With Harbin, A Heartwarming Ice City' was officially launched on December 5, 2024, at the Harbin Grand Theater. This event was organized by the Heilongjiang Branch of Xinhua News Agency's News & Information Center and attracted representatives from prominent media outlets from more than a dozen countries. The opening ceremony featured provincial and municipal media from Heilongjiang and Harbin, emphasizing the cultural and sporting aspects of the city as it prepares to host the upcoming Asian Winter Games in February 2025. The participants of the media tour experienced various winter-related activities, including observing ice and snow classes on local campuses, which showcased Harbin's commitment to engaging youth in winter sports initiatives such as the 'One Million Youth on Ice and Snow' program. As part of the tour itinerary, participants also visited a speed skating venue where they learned about innovative concepts and the unique appeal of the Asian Winter Games. One of the highlights of the itinerary was a visit to the renowned Harbin Ice Harvest Festival, which offered an immersive experience that combined traditional Chinese culture with winter sports elements and the Asian Winter Games. Journalists participating in the tour were tasked with covering five key perspectives: 'Ice and Snow,' 'Culture,' 'Asian Winter Games,' 'Technology,' and 'Livelihood' to illustrate Harbin's dynamic urban image and rich cultural heritage. This media tour prepares for the 9th Asian Winter Games, which marks Harbin's third instance of hosting a major international winter sports event, making it the only city to have held this honor three times, having previously hosted the 1996 Asian Winter Games and the 2009 Winter Universiade. The Asian Winter Games are set to take place in February 2025, underscoring Harbin's emergence as a winter sports capital. The media coverage produced from this tour aims to promote the successful hosting of the games and to highlight Harbin’s winter-related resources and infrastructure to both a domestic and international audience, enhancing its reputation as the 'City of Dual Asian Winter Games.' Through on-site interviews and various activities, the media tour is expected to generate impactful stories that can support Harbin in showcasing its capabilities and readiness to host an Olympic-sized sporting event. This initiative is crucial for positioning Harbin as an attractive destination not only for winter sports enthusiasts but also for tourists seeking to experience the cultural richness that the city has to offer, effectively merging tradition with modern sporting excellence.