Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Art & Design Award calls for 5th edition of competition

The launching ceremony of the 2024 Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Art & Design Award was inaugurated at the Auditorium of China International Communication Group in Beijing on 24 April 2024.
Yin Jie, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of China Centre for International Communication Development (CCICID), gave an opening remark that she welcomed the minister counsellors, diplomats from the countries along the Mekong River, esteemed guests from the media, universities, civil society organizations and domestic and international businesses. Six Lancang-Mekong member countries (China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Viet Nam) shared the same water and promoted civilization with a shared future. China has been intensifying cooperation with other member countries.
Zhao Chenggang, Minister Counsellor of Asian Affairs Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, said in his video keynote speech that “Mountains and rivers connect China and Mekong countries. He highlighted the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Art & Design Award has become a business card for cultural and youth exchanges. He expects the competition will further enhance people-to-people exchanges between the six countries and improve mutual learning among civilizations”.
Daw Zin Mar Htwe, Deputy Chief of Mission and Minister Counsellor, Embassy of Myanmar in China, said in her speech that “over the past eight years, Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) has made significant progress and a great achievement to bring about practical benefits to the people of LMC countries in various sectors. The six-member countries of LMC have further strengthened their people-to-people cooperation and implemented specialized cooperation projects in the fields of education, tourism, culture, sports and media. She reiterated Myanmar’s continued commitment to active cooperation for the common dream and peaceful, prosperous and developed Mekong regions. She hoped this award could boost cultural exchange and mutual understanding of the LMC countries.”
The 2024 Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Art & Design Award adopted the compelling theme, “Green Power, Lancang-Mekong’s New Day”, on the aspect of energy cooperation. Designers are entitled to tap into the Lancang-Mekong energy collaboration and creativity to create expressive masterworks depicting a range of themes, Lancang-Mekong’s energy security collaboration, cooperative development of energy infrastructure projects, renewable energy, advancement of the power grid, photovoltaic industry, energy storage, electric vehicles and components, and investment in green development. In addition to the traditional poster design segment, the AI poster design competition unit is also included this year. While fostering cross-cultural exchange and unity among diverse civilizations, tremendous strides in Lancang-Mekong collaboration has been made in the field of energy cooperation.
The Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, jointly initiated by China and the Mekong countries, has focused on political security, economic sustainability, and socio-cultural elements. Under financial support from the Special Fund for Lancang-Mekong Cooperation established by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Art & Design Award has been held regularly since 2020 to connect the Lancang-Mekong countries through artistic works and promote cultural exchange.
The CCICID, Publicity and Education Centre of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Central Academy of Fine Arts, Yunnan University, Yunnan International Communication Centre for South and Southeast Asia, Bangkok University, Thailand, National University of Laos, Royal University of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and Fuqing School, Myanmar, hosted it. — KK