“Silk Road Pearl” International Painting Exhibition of Artists for Peace was held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on the 11th. Tajikistan President Rakhmonawarded 6 artists who won the gold, silver and bronze awards in the exhibition, including two Chinese artists who won gold and bronze awards respectively.

This exhibition has works of artists from 40 countries and regions including China, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Italy, Estonia, Afghanistan, and Iraq.

Director of the Painting Department of the Academy of Arts & Design of Tsinghua University Zheng Yi won the gold award, and Director of Department of Fine Arts and Design of School of Art and Media of Beijing Normal University Prof. Gu Zong won the bronze award. Other artists who have won the awards come from Tajikistan, Belarus, Japan and Turkmenistan.

President Rakhmonsaid that the Silk Road has enabled people from different regions to conduct cultural exchanges and cultural cooperation. He highly praised this exhibition for its great significance in promoting the spirit of the Silk Road and enhancing the blend of civilizations. He also said that like other artists, the mission of the painter is to spread culture, and that painter is the messenger for peace and friendship. Through this exhibition, visitors will feel the inner world of the painters and understand the true meaning of cultural diversity.

This exhibition is is co-organized by the Silk Road Peace Award Foundation, International Union of Artists for Peace, Beijing Peace Tour Cultural Exchange Center, Tajikistan Government and Tajikistan Academy of Art and Science, with the aim to promote the friendly exchanges and cooperation between the two countries, further deepen the mutual understanding between China and Central Asian countries, enhance exchanges and cooperation under the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.