Sudan has called for cultural exchange with China so that cultural relationships between the two countries could be strengthened.

Sudan's Ambassador to Kenya Majok Guandong made the appeal while addressing journalists from Xinhua News Agency and China Radio International during the First Sudanese Cultural Festival in Nairobi.

"Sudan and China have strong relations that can be strengthened by cultural ties. Both countries have strong and diverse cultural values of which each can learn from the other," the envoy told journalists late Monday.

The three-day festival, dubbed "Sudan: Cultural Diversity and Historical Perspective", is being held in Nairobi to celebrate peace and highlight co-existence among the Sudanese people following the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005 that brought peace to the Sudan after 21 years of civil war.

"Sudan is the most diverse country in Africa linguistically, culturally and religiously, comprising of 129 tribe and 500 dialects. However we find unity in this diversity," Guangdong said.

The event is being attended by several delegates from North and South Sudan including popular southern Sudan -- based singer John Kudusay and dancers of Kwato group that represents all of Sudan.

The Sudanese envoy said Kenya played a major role in bringing peace to the Sudan, was the custodian of the CPA and the bringing the event to Nairobi was a gesture of appreciation and gratitude.

"Since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) on January 9, 2005 in Nairobi that ended hostilities between the North and the South and brought peace to Sudan, the citizens of Sudan have been striving to sustain peace through various ways; and one of the ways is the forthcoming Cultural Festival," said Guandong.

During the festival which ends later Tuesday in Nairobi, several speakers delivered speeches on various topics focusing on the Kenya-Sudan relations.

"Nairobi played a major role in bringing peace to the Sudan, was the custodian of the CPA and it is a befitting gesture to bring the event to Nairobi as a show of appreciation and gratitude," The Press Attaché at the Embassy Sumaya Abdel Sadiq said.

"Sudan is a vast country of many cultures. We invite you all to our first Cultural Festival to see and feel for yourselves the diverse ways of life of the Sudanese people, for there is unity in our diversity."

(Xinhua News Agency January 19, 2010)