The China Cultural Centre in Malta in collaboration with the Ministry for Education and Sport, recently held the award ceremony of the 16th China Cultural Centre Art competition, recognising the creativity and artistic achievements of Maltese students who explored Chinese culture through art.
For 16 consecutive years, the competition has served as an important platform for cultural, educational and youth exchanges between Malta and China. Through painting and artistic expression, young participants are encouraged to learn about Chinese traditions, values and culture while fostering friendship and mutual understanding between the two countries.
Addressing the ceremony, Chinese Ambassador to Malta, H. E. Zhang Zuo, described the competition as a flagship initiative in China-Malta cultural relations.
"The competition has become a premier brand for cultural, educational and youth exchanges between our two countries, embodying the sincere and friendly sentiments between the two peoples," he said. "Every edition of the event and every piece of artwork carries the innocence and dreams of children, passing the torch of China-Malta friendship from generation to generation through art."
The ambassador noted that, with the support of the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism, a selection of outstanding Maltese award-winning works from the competition, together with paintings created by primary and secondary school students from Hangzhou, were exhibited at the Zhejiang Art Museum in China last September.
A Maltese delegation comprising seven student prize winners, art teacher, Donald Camilleri, Art education officer, Dr Charmaine Zammit, and director of the Directorate for Early Years, Languages and Humanities, Dr Alice Micallef, travelled to Zhejiang to participate in the Voyage of Art China-Malta Children's Painting Exchange exhibition and a programme of cultural and educational activities.
During their six-day visit, the delegation attended the exhibition opening at the Zhejiang Art Museum and explored a number of cultural and educational sites, including West Lake, Wuzhen Water Town, Hangzhou Zoo, local schools, museums and other historical and scenic locations.
Ambassador Zhang highlighted the significance of these exchanges, noting that young people from China and Malta had inspired one another through a reciprocal journey of art that enriched both cultures and broadened horizons.
Referring to the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations, observed annually on 10 June by the United Nations, the ambassador emphasised that the competition reflects the principles of equality, mutual learning, inclusiveness and coexistence among different cultures.
Speaking at the ceremony, the director of the China Cultural Centre in Malta, Dr Chen Xiao expressed satisfaction at the continued growth of the initiative.
"This competition provides a valuable platform for Maltese children to present their understanding and imagination of Chinese culture through creative and colourful artworks," she said. "We are delighted to see the competition continue to grow."
Dr Chen noted that the latest edition attracted 196 artworks from eight schools, with 29 students receiving awards. She also remarked on the significant improvement in the quality of submissions compared to previous years.
The competition recognised 29 winners across four categories: two first prize winners, three second prize winners, six third prize winners and 18 recipients of the Rising Star award.
Dr Chen also recalled the success of the delegation's visit to China, describing it as an enriching experience that allowed students, educators and cultural representatives to engage directly with Chinese culture and educational institutions.
Looking ahead, she announced an exciting development for the next edition of the competition.
"Keeping up with the digital era and tapping into new media to inspire our young creators, the 17th Art competition will feature short video submissions for the first time," she revealed.