RIGA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- A photo exhibition on China's ethnic minorities opened in Riga on Thursday, highlighting the diverse lifestyles and centuries-old traditions of many ethnic groups.

Participating in the unveiling of the exhibition on Scenery and Customs of Chinese Ethnic Minorities were representatives of the Chinese Embassy in Latvia, members of the Latvian parliament, as well as representatives of Chinese cultural organizations.

The 64 photos displayed at the exhibition are works of prominent Chinese photographers whose close relations with the people of the ethnic groups allowed them to tell through the lens of their cameras the true story of their day-to-day lives.

The works for the exhibition were selected by the Suisse des Commercants d' Origine Chinoise which also organized the exhibition in Latvia.

Tang Yulap, chairman of Association Suisse des Commercants d' Origine Chinoise, said at the opening of the exhibition: "Since ancient times, China has always been a unified multi-ethnic nation and today embraces a total of 56 ethnic groups with distinct cultures hence forming a diversified, beautiful China."

"We hope that through the lens of our photographers, the world would appreciate the genuine customs and practices of China's different ethnic minorities, and at the same time, we could take this opportunity to exhibit the great social and economic changes in our ethnic minorities and how their life has improved over the past 40 years of the country's reform and opening up," the chairman said.

The exhibition is open to everyone for free at the Radisson Blu Latvija on May 9 and at the Radisson Blu Ridzene hotel on May 10.