The 2025 International Confucius Festival is set to begin on Sept 27 in Qufu, Jining, East China's Shandong province, continuing the global Confucian cultural exchange that has been going on since 1984.

This year's event features a global "online memorial ceremony for Confucius", starting on Sept 28. In addition to domestic Confucian temples, the ceremony will connect multiple Confucian temples and academies in countries such as Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Russia, France, and Italy, displaying a variety of sacrificial ceremonies. Notably, a Confucius statue will be donated to Indonesia's Universitas Pendidikan Nasional during the opening ceremony, highlighting cultural exchanges.

Shandong is also promoting study tours that feature Confucian culture, as the province has a rich Confucius legacy and tourism offerings. It has developed a robust portfolio of study tour products, including folk culture, marine exploration, and ecological studies. The aim is to build an international study tour destination by boosting product supply, destination development, and brand building.

Shandong's capital of Jinan, for example, is positioning itself as a leading study tour city with Confucian culture at its core. The festival and associated activities not only celebrate Confucius but also stimulate cultural and educational tourism in Shandong.