Shine Tak Foundation Honors Global Heritage, Youth Art at Hong Kong Palace Museum
Thestandard · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN

Summary
The Shine Tak Foundation held its inaugural "National Treasures Global Vision" Drawing Competition award ceremony at the Hong Kong Palace Museum on Monday, drawing representatives from over 25 nations and winners from 13 countries for a five-day cultural exchange program. The competition attracted over 10,000 student entries interpreting national animal treasures through artwork, with government officials including Home and Youth Affairs Permanent Secretary Patrick Li Pak-chuen and Foreign Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Huang Jingrui attending the ceremony.
Key Points
- Competition drew more than 10,000 entries from 13 countries, inviting students to creatively interpret their national animal symbols through artwork
- Ceremony at Hong Kong Palace Museum featured diplomatic delegations from 25+ nations and ambassadors representing Georgia, Guyana, Colombia, Senegal, Angola, Ghana, and Zambia
- Foundation officials facilitated travel for winners facing obstacles, including an Iranian participant who lost contact before being helped to safety and a Colombian entry who required an alternative European flight route due to a US transit visa issue
- Eighty winning artworks were displayed featuring national animals such as China's giant panda, Indonesia's Komodo dragon, and Guyana's jaguar, with select pieces scheduled for Hong Kong International Airport Terminal 2 exhibition
- Mahshid Ghasemi, 16, won Iran's Youth Gold Award with a painting of the mythical Simurgh bird and Persian leopard, while Edwin Santiago Sierra Guerrero, 15, claimed Colombia's top prize
Why It Matters
This international art initiative positions Hong Kong as a platform for cultural diplomacy, uniting youth from diverse nations through shared creative expression. The planned exhibition at Hong Kong International Airport will showcase these works to millions of travelers, reinforcing the city's role as a gateway connecting global cultures through the arts.