More than 300 scholars, industry leaders and government officials from the culture and literary sectors at home and abroad gathered in Shanghai's Hongkou district on Friday for the 2018 Global Cities Culture Forum (Shanghai).

The experts, from cities including London, Boston, Vancouver, Barcelona, Cairo, Valencia, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Taipei, shared perspectives and viewpoints at the forum, with the theme "Belt and Road Initiative: Cultural Exchanges and Cultural Brands".

Three sub-forums focused on branding strategies for urban cultural construction, new forms of urban cultural exchange, and promotion of the creative development of urban culture and construction for a community of shared future for mankind.

The forum, which will end on Saturday, is being hosted by Shanghai's Hongkou District Government, the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, and Shanghai Theater Academy.

It aims to encourage cities to share cultural knowledge and experience, discuss the role of culture in different cities, and facilitate the progress of cultural policies in city construction so as to contribute wisdom and experience to city brand construction in cities involved in the Belt and Road Initiative.