2025 marks the 80th anniversary of victory in the World Anti-Fascist War. At this historic moment observed around the world, the "Ode to Peace and the Future" Grand Symphonic Epic Concert and WWII Photo Exhibition — part of a series of commemorative events hosted by the Huaxing Arts Group Australia and co-organised by the Chinese Consulate-General in Sydney, the Maritime Union of Australia and the South Coast Labour Council (NSW) — was held with great ceremony at Sydney Town Hall on the evening of 9 August, marking a significant chapter in Australia-China cultural exchange and the international commemoration of peace. ACCIA Chairman Su Xinfeng attended the concert by invitation.

A Dialogue Across Time and Space: The Photo Exhibition Opens

At 6:30pm that evening, the theatre foyer of Sydney Town Hall opened first, displaying precious historical photographs from WWII that vividly recreated the courageous scenes of people around the world resisting fascism eighty years ago. Visitors relived history through the images, reflected on the sacrifices made, and considered the present day. This visual meditation built a cultural bridge connecting past and future, East and West.

Honouring Veterans, Paying Tribute to Historical Memory. At a reception for veterans, His Excellency Wang Yu, Consul-General (with ambassadorial rank) of the Chinese Consulate-General in Sydney, warmly greeted veterans and representatives of their descendants, and paid high tribute to the Chinese people's fearless spirit of sacrifice. He said: "Today, with the utmost respect, we gather together with veterans of the War of Resistance and their families to jointly pay our highest tribute to, and hold in deep memory, the fallen heroes of that war, and to keep firmly in mind that tragic history. On behalf of the Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China in Sydney, I extend to you all our highest respects and most sincere regards."

This year marks the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. As the Eastern main battlefield of the World Anti-Fascist War, China's War of Resistance began earliest, lasted longest, and bore the greatest sacrifice, playing a decisive role in the total defeat of the Japanese aggressors and making an indelible contribution to the cause of peace for humanity. The Voice of Peace, a Promise for the Future. At 7:30pm, the concert opened with a solemn traditional Welcome to Country ceremony by Aboriginal elders. Carrying the memory of the land and its cultural roots, the ceremony symbolised the vision of peace taking root in this multicultural land of Australia.

Aboriginal Elders Deliver the Welcome to Country. Guest Remarks Provide a Spiritual Anchor. At the start of the concert, remarks from two important guests brought a solemn spiritual weight to the whole evening. His Excellency Wang Yu, Consul-General (with ambassadorial rank) of the Chinese Consulate-General in Sydney, delivered an address. He said that at the moment when the Chinese nation faced a critical struggle for survival, countless Chinese sons and daughters stepped forward and fought on wave after wave in bloody battle; the heroic epic they wrote with their lives and blood will never be forgotten by their homeland and people. The great spirit of the War of Resistance is a precious spiritual asset of the Chinese nation that will forever inspire us to overcome every hardship in striving for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Remembering history is done to cherish peace, and honouring the fallen is done to build the future. Amid accelerating global changes unseen in a century and a turbulent international landscape, we must all the more firmly uphold the outcomes of the WWII victory and the postwar international order; and we must all the more strive to achieve the complete reunification of the Chinese nation — a shared aspiration of Chinese people at home and abroad, and the truest comfort we can offer the fallen heroes of the War of Resistance.

Address by His Excellency Wang Yu, Consul-General (with ambassadorial rank), Chinese Consulate-General in Sydney. Mr Mark Buttigieg, NSW Member of the Legislative Council, speaking as the NSW Premier's representative, spoke highly of the outstanding role played by the Chinese people during WWII, and praised the historical contribution of the Chinese and Australian peoples in resisting fascism together. He said that peace is a value we must safeguard together, now and into the future, and a source of consensus and unity within a multicultural society. The extraordinary power of traditional culture and the arts connects us across languages, he said, adding that Chinese migrants play an increasingly important role in Australian society. Address by Mark Buttigieg, NSW Member of the Legislative Council and Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs, representing the NSW Premier. Australian Dignitaries and Consuls-General from Multiple Countries in Sydney Attend, Reflecting International Consensus. The event also drew dignitaries from Australia as well as Consuls-General from Russia, Colombia, France and other countries based in Sydney, demonstrating that the values of peace conveyed by "Ode to Peace and the Future" have transcended language, nationality and belief to become a cultural symbol of global consensus. Representatives of Chinese community organisations also attended the concert warmly.

Multi-ethnic Artists Join Together, Emotion and Faith Intertwined. The concert brought together nearly 400 professional artists and arts workers of different ethnic backgrounds, including from China, Australia, South America, Russia, Germany, Italy, Poland, the Netherlands, Armenia, Romania and Korea. A 260-strong choir and a 58-piece orchestra performed together on a grand scale, presenting an ode to peace that combined symphonic music, choral singing, solo performance and recitation.

This diverse concert, blending cultures and uniting peoples, could be described as a symphony of civilisation built on music as its vehicle, peace as its faith, and memory as its foundation — and even more, a dialogue of the spirit that crossed history and the present, borders and ethnicities. Through its grand symphonic structure, profound intellectual depth and rich multicultural fusion, the concert struck an epic artistic chord for peace. From the stirring "Song of the Yellow River Boatmen" and "Defend the Yellow River," to "The Kangda School Song" and "Schindler's List," which contemplated sacrifice and faith, the artists used multilingual, multi-style, multidimensional expression to awaken collective memories buried deep in history. From the heartfelt gaze of "My Motherland" to the hopeful vision of "Tomorrow Will Be Better," and from "Iron Bob" to the teacher-student dialogue piece "Oath of the Southern Cross," conviction and mission will surely be passed down through the generations, showing the audience the solemn commitment of young Australians of all backgrounds to justice and peace. The concert's skilful programming wove diverse narratives and human emotion together within a single space, looking back on history and contemplating sacrifice at its artistic high points while still holding its head up to the future, forming a spiritual tension of "cherishing peace, living fully in the face of death." Art Across Borders, Peace in Resonance. Yu Junwu, the concert's General Director, said candidly: "This performance is not only art looking back on history, but also a dialogue of faith. It crosses regions and ethnic groups, further advocating cultural inclusiveness and mutual learning between civilisations. Its open, diverse artistic forms make it a humanistic event with a truly global outlook."

Remembering, in Order to Move Forward. We look back because we cherish peace. This grand concert allowed people to revisit, in Sydney — a place where many cultures meet — the shared historical memory of resisting fascism together, inspiring a sense of responsibility to treasure peace.

Article content source: Huaxing Arts Group Australia. Intern reporter: Liu Yitong.