On April 28th, in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of a friendly province-county relationship between Liaoning Province and Kanagawa Prefecture, launching ceremony of Liaoning Province and Kanagawa Prefecture Youth Calligraphy and Painting Exchange Exhibition was successfully held in Shenyang.This event is hosted by Liaoning Provincial People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the Foreign Affairs Office of Liaoning Provincial People’s Government, the Kanagawa Prefecture Japan-China Friendship Association, and the International Cultural and Tourism Bureau of Kanagawa Prefecture Government. It is jointly organized by Shenyang Municipal People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the Foreign Affairs Office of Shenyang Municipal People’s Government , and the Municipal Education Bureau. Li Chengzhi, Vice President of  Liaoning Provincial People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Liu Zhenning, Deputy Secretary General of Shenyang Municipal People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, officials from the Municipal Education Bureau, expert judges, and media representatives attended the launching ceremony.

As an important part of the series events to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of a friendly province-county relationship between Liaoning Province and Kanagawa Prefecture, this calligraphy and painting exchange exhibition takes the theme of "Love for Peace, Love for Hometown". In April, a simultaneous collection of works was launched among young people in Liaoning Province and Kanagawa Prefecture. A total of 300 calligraphy and painting works were selected, and, according to plan, will join tour exhibition in October and December in the two places respectively.

In his speech, Mr. Li Chengzhi stated that over the past 40 years since the establishment of a friendly province-county relationship between Liaoning Province and Kanagawa Prefecture, the two sides have achieved remarkable results in cooperation in various fields such as economy and trade, environmental protection, healthcare, culture and education, making this relationship even closer and deeper. The purpose of this exhibition is to create a platform for cultural exchange and friendship among young people in Liaoning and Kanagawa, and to convey the sincere hope for collaboration in building a better future. I hope that young people in Liaoning will paint or write with their hearts, depicting the beautiful scenery and customs of their hometown, telling the moving stories about its development, conveying the profound sentiments for peace and friendship, and showcasing the great charm of Liaoning.

Mr. Liu Zhenning detailed the requirements for the collecting of works. He said, this calligraphy and painting exchange exhibition is a bridge to connect Chinese and Japanese people, an effective form to enrich cultural exchanges between China and Japan, and a good platform for Shenyang to build an international central city in Northeast Asia. It helps tell the good story of Shenyang and showcase its best image. I hope we work together to set a model for friendly exchanges between China and Japan, build a bridge for local cooperation, and build a platform for youth exchanges between China and Japan.

The Chinese works of this calligraphy and painting exchange exhibition will be collected from primary and secondary school students in our province, and among which, 75 paintings and 75 calligraphy works will be selected. Then the expert judges of two sides will review and award all works separately.