In order to make the Chinese culture better known overseas, strengthen cultural exchanges and cooperation with foreign countries, especially those involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, and enhance the friendship among the teenagers worldwide, the fifth "Twin Cities Painting" Jiangsu International Youth Painting Contest was jointly held by Foreign Affairs Office of Jiangsu Provincial People’s Government, Jiangsu Education Department, Jiangsu Information Office, Jiangsu Federation of Literary and Art Circles, and Jiangsu Broadcasting Corporation. Attaching great importance to this contest, Suzhou Foreign Affairs Office invited Nowy Sacz(Poland) and Kameoka(Japan), which are sister cities of Suzhou, to actively participate in the competition. A total of 35 paintings drawn by teenagers of the two cities were submitted and received popular acclaim. As a result, Suzhou Foreign Affairs Office recently received "Excellent Organizer Award" from the organizing committee.
As a brand activity of international youth exchange, "Jiangsu International Youth Painting Contest" is designed by Jiangsu Province to boost sister cities relationship. With the Belt and Road Initiative as guidelines, the contest aims at strengthening the cultural exchanges between Chinese and foreign children, especially children from countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. With "painting"used as an art form to break national boundaries and language barriers, the contest provides our Chinese and foreign children from sister cities with a chance "using art to show the world our hometown, using art to forge friendships with foreign children around the world." With delicate brushwork, the children completed a series of touching works, which are not only in exuberant colors, but also full of creativity and imagination. For five consecutive years,Suzhou Foreign Affairs Office has keenly organized sister cities (as well as friendship cities) to take part in the competition and achieved impressive attainments .
