For more than 1,500 years, the ancient Silk Road was a near 6000 kilometre network of trade routes connecting China with the Middle East and Europe. Starting in the Chinese Han Dynasty in the mid-15th century, merchants along the Silk Road were trading goods such as silk, tea, spices, cotton and precious metals. More importantly, the Silk Road promoted transmission of culture, knowledge, ideas and inventions.

In 2013, the Chinese government announced its initiative to build a "New Silk Road” as part of its “One Belt, One Road” policy. One of the key elements of this initiative is to build a railroad network that roughly follows the old Silk Road route, connecting China’s economy with the rest of Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe. Part of this railroad network is the so-called “New Eurasian Land Bridge”, an international passageway connecting the Pacific with the Atlantic.

Much like the old ancient Silk Road, the “New Eurasian Land Bridge” is a cultural adventure. Nearly 11,000 kilometres long, the land bridge begins in the Chinese coastal cities of Lianyungang and Rizhao, and makes the long journey all the way to Germany, Holland and Belgium. Along the way, it serves more than 30 countries, and by closing the gap between the various cultures and people of the Asia-Pacific nations, Europe and the Middle East, the “New Eurasian Land Bridge” promotes intercultural dialogue and exchange between the countries.

In celebration of this Silk Road comeback, we decided to develop a train set themed experience activity named the “Hape New Silk Road”. Our “Hape New Silk Road” themed train set features cities along the “New Eurasian Land Bridge” as well as the amazing scenery taken in along the route. It is through this fun and engaging train set that children learn about geography, world history and different cultures. Our “Hape Silk Road” themed train set will officially be launched in China on May 27 this year.

At Hape, we are committed to fostering cultural inclusiveness and tolerance through our toys. And, by launching our “Hape New Silk Road” themed train set, we want to support families from around the world in their efforts to raise little global citizens that will thrive in a diverse and increasingly interconnected world.