The Excellent Works Sharing Meeting of the 2025 Guangdong International Youth Art Creation Competition is held on October 19, 2025 in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China. (Photo: Guangdong People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries)
Young artists from nearly 30 countries showcase their creativity at the 2025 Guangdong International Youth Art Creation Competition, an event aimed at building bridges across cultures.
More than 3,500 students from 29 countries and regions submitted painting and calligraphy works, and hand-drawn newspapers for the contest, which culminated in an Excellent Works Sharing Meeting held on October 19 at the Guangzhou Library.
"Art is a common language of humanity—a bridge that transcends borders," said Qiu Huilin, inspector at level 2 from the Foreign Affairs Office of the People's Government of Guangdong Province, which partnered with the Guangdong Federation of Literary and Art Circles to initiate the event. "Young people are the cornerstone of friendship between nations."
The competition was organized by the Guangdong People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Yangcheng Evening News Group, Guangdong Artists Association, and Guangdong Calligraphers Association, and integrates three international events—the 2025 GD Youth Link Painting and Calligraphy Competition, the Yangcheng Evening News 30th My Storyboard Competition, and the 28th China-Japan Youth Painting and Calligraphy Competition.
For the first time, a panel of five renowned artists, including sculptor Mr. Xu Hongfei and painters Mr. Wang Yong, Ms. Zhang Siyan, animation artist Mr. Lin Dihuan and calligrapher Mr. Yan Yiduan, advised the contest, adding professional credibility.
Around themes of "China/Guangdong in my eyes", "My story with China/Guangdong", "Friendship and Peace" and "Trace your dream in the sports world", young participants explored how art can connect people beyond geography and language.
"We hope the youth to experience the joy of creation and the beauty of words," said Sun Xuan, Vice President of Yangcheng Evening News Group. "Through art and storytelling, they can discover both the depth of Chinese culture and the shared dreams of our generation."
Over four months, organizers received 3,731 pieces of work created by primary and high school students from 21 cities in Guangdong Province and their international sister cities and the foreign friendship organizations.
Among those attending the Sharing Meeting were Yoshiko Kijima, Japanese consul general in Guangzhou; Wu Zigang, deputy director general of Guangdong Committee for the Wellbeing of the Next Generation; and renowned artists from several art associations in China and Japan.
Reporter | Liu Xiaodi
Editor | Yuan Zixiang, James Campion, Shen He
