A grand international cultural event was launched Saturday in east China's Shandong Province to select the world's top poets and promote poetic creation.

The 19th world congress of poets was held in the city of Tai'an, with more than 800 selected participants including some 150 poet laureates, renowned poets, cultural and business celebrities from China, the United States, Hong Kong, Taiwan and other regions in the world.

The event will select the world's and Chinese top poets and the cultural ambassadors of the world poems and songs, according to the organizing committee.

Nineteen themed activities including a symposium on Chinese and English ancient poems will be held during the four-day cultural event, the first of its kind in China.

Co-sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, China International Culture Publicity Center and National Chinese Congress of Cultures, the conference carries the theme of "China Culture, World Harmony", in a bid to promote culture exchanges between China and the world.

China has long been regarded as a country of outstanding poems, which has been a symbol of Chinese culture with a long history of development.

The city of Tai'an is the home of Mount Tai, a world cultural and natural heritage that has been worshipped and admired by ancient emperors, poets and the people.

The world congress of poets was initiated by some poetic and cultural organizations in China, the United States, Italy and some other countries. China was chosen in June 2004 to hold the 19th event.

(Xinhua News Agency October 31, 2005)