BEIJING, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- The eighth Cultural and Art Exchange Week of International Youth kicked off in Beijing on Saturday.

The five-day event brings young people and teenagers of art troupes from 14 countries together for art performances and tours around Beijing for cultural experiences.

The organizer, the foreign affairs office of the Beijing municipal government, said the event aimed to increase understanding among young people from different countries.

Participants come from countries including Afghanistan, Australia, Azerbaijan, Peru, Germany, Russia, Republic of Korea, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and China.