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LONDON, Aug. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In the Footsteps of Marco Polo, featuring Stanley and Max Johnson, premiered at Curzon Mayfair on Wednesday, July 3.
The documentary follows their 2023 road trip to the Forbidden City in Beijing, the end of the Silk Road. The 2,500-mile journey took them through some of the most beautiful places on Earth.
Stanley said: "Completing the Silk Road has taken 62 years and was something Michael and Tim, my two late co-conspirators, would have loved to have been a part of.
"Being able to pick up where I left off more than six decades ago and complete this journey, with my son by my side, is something I will never forget.
"But while this journey meant a lot to me personally, there is a bigger picture. The project presented an opportunity to show the importance of travel, multiculturalism and how the English language can be a force of unity that goes beyond borders and unites us all."
Max Johnson added: "By retracing Marco's historic journey, we hope bridges of mutual understanding, cultural exchange, and lasting collaboration can and will be built between China and Europe."
The 90-minute documentary was supported by Global Education (GEDU) and the English Path language program. Mike Summerfield, the managing director of English Path, said: "This production exemplifies how language can unite cultures and break down barriers. We are changing lives through education across 12 countries, and we are immensely proud to support Stanley and Max's remarkable journey."
Dale Templar, Managing Director of One Tribe TV, told the gathering: "At a time when the world is facing many challenges In the Footsteps of Marco Polo is a remarkable example of international film-making collaboration in action."
His Excellency Zheng Zeguang, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the UK, expressed his own satisfaction at the close collaboration that had been achieved at every level between the China and the UK in the planning and execution of the project. "This is a truly remarkable initiative," Ambassador Zheng said, "which deserves the support of everyone. Mr Stanley Johnson's travel, like the story of Marco Polo, will help people in the UK to learn about the real China."
