Diplomatic Pouch: With Mike Peters

The embassy of Cyprus in Beijing, marking the 52nd anniversary of the independence of Cyprus and the island nation's current EU presidency, organized a Cypriot Week in Beijing that continues until Oct 13. Guests at the Gallery Hotel in the Chinese capital could sample Cypriot cuisine and enjoy folkloric dance as well as music.

After one year on the road, the EU delegation's information campaign on the euro is now travelling to Shanghai for its 10th and last stop in China.

Students at Fudan University will have a chance on Oct 15 to hear Marco Buti, director-general for economic and financial affairs at the EU Commission, spell out the reasons behind the debt crisis, what is being done to address them and the way forward. The business community will also meet Buti in a seminar on the same day.

A public exhibition will be open until Oct 15 at the Center for American Studies at 680 Guoquan Lu near Fudan.

British Ambassador to China Sebastian Wood recently welcomed NGOs and Paralympic champions to his residence to discuss issues faced by people with disabilities in Britain and China.

In front of more than 50 guests, the embassy reports, the ambassador was joined by Beijing Television's Dong Lu, who hosted a panel discussion that also reflected on the achievements of London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The guests celebrated the achievements of China's Paralympic athletes, particularly Zhu Pengkai, who was on the panel. Also among the panelists was Sang Lan, a former Chinese gymnast who fell during warm ups at the Goodwill Games in 1998, resulting in paralysis from the mid-chest down. Since then, she has become an advocate for improved conditions for disabled people in China.

The ambassador and guests spoke of the importance of capitalizing on the Paralympics to promote disability rights. Wood applauded the success of London 2012, which was the first Paralympic Games to sell out.

The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has opened prequalification applications for research grants related to development research.

The embassy's website in Beijing says the objective of Danish support to development research is to generate new knowledge capable of alleviating development problems and strengthening research capacity in priority countries. Target areas for strategic grants include green economy and rights to natural resources. More information on deadlines, application forms and guidelines for the grants can be found at www.kina.um.dk.

Czech Ambassador to China Libor Secka and Huantie Times Art Museum will host the opening of Body Talks, an exhibition by Vladimir Zidlicky, on Oct 13.

The Norwegian embassy in China says that Gallery Simon Lee in Hong Kong will present the new work of renowned Norwegian contemporary artist and writer Matias Faldbakken until Nov 17.

In the exhibition, titled Maintenance, the artist continues to explore how objects, when displaced and manipulated, communicate what has been dubbed "agitated idleness".

Faldbakken studied at the National Academy of Fine Arts in Bergen and later at the Staedelschule in Frankfurt.

Send embassy and consulate news to michaelpeters@chinadaily.com.cn.

(China Daily 10/12/2012 page31)