Remarks by H.E. Ambassador Wang Guangya, Permanent Representative of the People’s Republic of China to the United Nations, at the Opening Ceremony of Art Exhibition entitled “One World: UN Family in Colored Paintings by Chinese Artists”

(21 July 2008)

 

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon,

Under-Secretaries-General Nambiar, Akasaka, Sha Zukang, Ahlenius, Gambari

Excellencies, Colleagues, Friends, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you for attending today’s exhibition opening.

This is an extraordinary and unprecedented exhibition. And as China’s ambassador to the United Nations, I really like its name – “One World: UN Family in Colored Paintings by Chinese Artists”. In the coming two weeks, a total of 194 Chinese paintings will be presented, in four successive batches, here at the UN Headquarters. As you can see, the organizers have followed the usual practice of the UN, displaying the paintings in alphabetical order. These paintings are recent works by 194 famous Chinese artists, each with his or her unique style and skills, depicting all members of the UN family. No matter which country you are from, you will find a painting that tells of your homeland.

Chinese painting has a history of over 2000 years. It is globally recognized as one of the five quintessential forms of the time-honored Chinese culture, with the other four being Chinese calligraphy, Chinese medicine, Chinese martial arts or kungfu, and, of course, Chinese cuisine.

Never have so many acclaimed Chinese artists been involved in a single exhibition overseas. And never has the entire UN family been the subject of fine arts. The organizers, China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and China Artists’ Association, deserve our warmest congratulations for making such an unprecedented, magnificent exhibition possible.

Dear Friends,

The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, which has received great attention from people across the globe, is to officially open in only 18 days.  On behalf of the Chinese Government and people, I cordially invite you to visit Beijing and watch the Olympic competition events.  At the same time, I hope this art exhibition will serve as a window for highlighting and celebrating the beauty of cultural diversity as well as humanity’s persistent pursuit of peace and harmony, and become a bridge for enhancing the friendship between the Chinese people and the peoples of the world.

I wish this exhibition a brilliant success and, with my sincere thanks to everyone, I wish all of you a pleasant evening.

Thank you!

 

(Unofficial Transcript)

 

EXHIBITION OPENING:

“ONE WORLD: UN FAMILY IN COLOURED PAINTINGS BY CHINESE ARTISTS”

New York, Monday, 21 July 2008, 6:30 p.m.

1st Basement, Neck Area, UNHQ

Remarks by H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nations

 Your Excellency Ambassador Wang Guangya,

Excellencies, Distinguished Colleagues and Ambassadors,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

It is a real pleasure for me to take part in the opening of this meaningful exhibition -- "One World: UN Family in Colored Paintings by Chinese Artists".  This exquisite collection of paintings beautifully embodies the internationalism of today's China.  By depicting all members of the United Nations family, the artists showcased here are using their immense talents in the service of cross-cultural understanding.  Those who enjoy this exhibition will gain insight about contemporary Chinese painters while at the same time see their reflections of different countries around the world.  In that sense, the four installations of 194 paintings are an apt metaphor for the creative richness of China and its place on the global stage.

 

I am especially pleased to be here after my recent visit to Beijing.  My visit to China was special, and I was so much moved and grateful for the warm and such an exciting welcome for me and for my delegation.  I felt at home in fact.  I've been living nearby in Korea.  I always felt China as friendly and I felt really at home during my stay.  While I was there, I had a chance to attend the opera based on the ancient tale "Prosperity is Brought by the Dragon and the Phoenix" – this is a Chinese opera, and also to tour the site of the Olympic Games.  Again I was so much impressed by the preparedness of Olympic Games.  It was the most spectacular Olympic facilities I have ever seen.  And I was so much impressed by such a great strength of Chinese people, who have made their Olympic Games preparations in such a magnificent way, even after the earthquake disaster.  I was so much grateful and I extended my deep admiration to the Chinese people. 

 

I'm quite confident that this Olympic Games, which will happen in about two weeks time, will be the most successful one in the history of the Olympic Games, and will provide a venue and forum where all the athletes – all the people around the world will compete not only in sports, and will make this Chinese Olympic Games a great platform to promote mutual understanding, and peace, stability and prosperity.  And again, congratulations on that!

 

The two events show us the faces of China, the old and the new, the traditional and the global.  Those two faces – the balancing task that China masters so well – can also be seen in the images that we unveil today.  I sincerely hope that Member States will take an opportunity to look at how their society, how their project has been depicted here by Chinese artists – through Chinese eyes. I saw one about my own home country – Korea.  That was a real essence of what really can give pride and proudness of Korean people.  I thank you very much – to the artist.

 

Again, congratulations to the artists and Chinese people for this art/painting exhibition and for the Olympic Games. May they inspire the United Nations family in its mission for peace and harmony.

 

Thank you very much and xiexie.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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EXHIBITION OPENING:

“ONE WORLD: UN FAMILY IN COLOURED PAINTINGS BY CHINESE ARTISTS”

Monday, 21 July 2008, 6:30 p.m.
1^st Basement, Neck Area, UNHQ

Remarks by H.E. Mr. Kiyotaka Akasaka, USG-DPI

 

Ambassador Wang, Excellencies,

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen:

It is my honour and my privilege to be here for the opening of this wonderful exhibition of paintings at United Nations Headquarters.

This exhibition, “One World, the UN Family in Coloured Paintings” is something both very creative and quite rare.

It presents us—we at the United Nations--to ourselves! There is something here for each one of us. 

During the next two weeks, we will see 194 paintings by renowned Chinese artists.  What’s special, though, is that each of these paintings is dedicated to one Member State of the UN family. Each painting illustrates something unique that the individual artist best felt represents that country.

As you go around and look at these paintings by these talented artists, I’m sure you will be delighted to see how your country -- and your colleagues’ country, too! -- has been depicted.

But what is also amazing about this exhibit is that it offers an opportunity to see how Chinese artists themselves view the world, and the peoples and cultures that enrich it.

This inside and outside view -- of China, and of the world -- is what this exhibit so marvelously brings to all of us here at the United Nations.

So let me congratulate the organizers, Mr. Changjiang Wu of the Chinese Artists’ Association, and the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, for this remarkable show. I would also like to thank in particular Ambassador Wang and the Permanent Mission of China.

Thank you.

 

 

 

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Remarks by Mr. Wu Changjiang, Vice President of China Artists’ Association,
at the Opening Ceremony of Art Exhibition
"One World: U.N. Family in Colored Paintings by Chinese Artists"
at the U.N. Headquarters

(New York, 21 July 2008)

Your Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon,
Under-Secretaries-General Kiyotaka Akasaka, Vijay Nambiar, Sha Zukang and Inga-Britt Ahlenius
Ambassador Wang Guangya and Mme. Cong Jun,
Members of the diplomatic corps, fellow artists,
Distinguished guests, Ladies and gentlemen,

Good evening!

Today we are here at the New York U.N. Headquarters to witness the grand opening of "One World: U.N. Family in Colored Paintings by Chinese Artists", an exhibition jointly organized by China’s State Council Information Office (SCIO), China Federation of Literary and Art Circles (CFLAC), Chinese Artists' Association (CAA) and the Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations. On behalf of the organizers, I would like to extend my sincere welcome to H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-moon, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and other distinguished friends and guests from all circles and nations.

This Exhibition aims to present a variety of paintings created by contemporary Chinese artists, which will not only showcase the latest development of Chinese painting to viewers from across the world, but also express the good wishes of the Chinese people for pursuing world peace, preserving world cultural heritage, promoting international cultural diversity, and contributing to a harmonious world. We hope and believe this Exhibition will provide a good opportunity for all our friends to experience a good sample of Chinese culture and art.

In "One World: U.N. Family in Colored Paintings by Chinese Artists", 194 selected Chinese ink paintings by 194 Chinese contemporary painters will be displayed, their themes ranging from cultural relics, landmark architecture, folk customs, national birds and flowers of 192 U.N. Member States to the features of U.N. institutions. It is the first time that we have seen such a wide collection of paintings created by Chinese artists depicting the beautiful landscape, local specialties and sentiments of all the U.N. member states. Today, 10 artists whose works are included in the Exhibition have come to this ceremony, and they will be happy to exchange ideas with you after this brief ceremony. It is our hope that this Exhibition will enable our friends to approach, appreciate and enjoy Chinese art, so that we can deepen our mutual understanding and friendship, and reaffirm our joint commitment to the prosperity and constant exchanges between all human civilizations.

Due to the limited exhibition space available to us organizers, the 194 paintings of this two-week-long Exhibition will have to be presented in four separate but consecutive sessions. We hope to have your understanding and look forward to seeing more friends come here and share with us their opinions and feelings about this art exhibition.

I would like to mention that while preparing this Exhibition we have received generous help and facilitation from many partners, such as the U.N. Departments of Management and Security, and the Permanent Mission of China. We have also benefited from the positive responses and kind support of many personages. I shall take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks to them all.

 

I wish the exhibition "One World: U.N. Family in Colored Paintings by Chinese Artists" a full success.

 

Thank you.