TAIYUAN, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- The 25th Pingyao International Photography Festival kicked off Friday in the ancient city of Pingyao, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in north China's Shanxi Province, known for its well-preserved ancient architecture.

Themed "Breaking Boundaries, Intelligent Insights into the Future," the five-day festival has drawn more than 5,000 photographers from 34 countries and regions, as well as from 25 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions across China, with over 20,000 works submitted for the exhibition.

Highlights of the festival include a showcase of Polaroid works. Belgian photographer Carmen De Vos and British photographer Clare Marie Bailey are attending the festival in person, while works by German photographer Stefanie Schneider are also on display.

A training program has also been launched at this year's festival, offering participants both instruction and hands-on experience in Pingyao and Bottrop, Germany, to enhance their curatorial skills.

Over the past 25 years, the Pingyao International Photography Festival has exhibited more than 300,000 works from over 100 countries and regions, attracting millions of visitors from home and abroad to the ancient city. ■