Guangxi Students to Paint China in 2nd Aramco Asia Youth Program

Ethnic minority students and teachers from Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region started on a journey of art from Nanning, capital of Guangxi on Jan 15 as part of the second Aramco Asia Youth Program.

Fifty students of Zhuang, Hui, Yao and Mulao ethnic groups from Nanning, Guilin, Du’an and Laibin gathered in Nanning to begin a nine-day journey co-organized by Aramco Asia, China Daily, the China Youth Development Foundation and the Good Seed Charity Fund. Their teachers will accompany them.

Nabil Al-Nuaim, president and CEO of Aramco Asia, said the nine-day educational art journey will offer lively activities to broaden the students’ horizons and increase their inter-cultural coordination, social intercourse and teamwork spirit while giving them a happy winter vacation.

Zhu Baoxia, secretary-general of China Daily, said she hopes the children will set their dreams aloft and capture the world’s colorful beauty with their brushes. The first youth program held in 2015 was a success and its spirit of love will continue this year, she said.

Yang Chunlei, deputy secretary-general of the China Youth Development Foundation, said it’s their mission to help improve the youngsters’ capabilities and stimulate their growth. Exposure to art during their teenage years will benefit the youngsters for their whole lives, Yang added, and the activity offers an opportunity for them to paint under the guidance of professional art teachers.

As part of the activity, the students and teachers will visit Guangxi Arts University and receive guidance from art professors and volunteers on topics from painting categories, tools, and techniques to introductions to sketching and traditional Chinese paintings. In addition, the students will sketch from nature when visiting Lijiang River and Dayu ancient town.

Yuan Aijuan from Sanzhiyang Central Primary School in Du’an Yao autonomous county shared her dream -- to paint her hometown in the most beautiful way. She said she will draw what she sees and hears in Guangxi for her fellow hometowners and share Yao’s culture with others.

Ranging in age from 10 to 13, the ethnic minority students were selected from five primary schools of poverty-stricken areas on the basis of their character, school performance, talent and painting potential.

After the event, Aramco Asia will donate a hope project happy art classroom for each school, encouraging the children to express their painting talents, cultivate their skills and raise their artistic sensibilities.

According to a 2013 report from the All-China Women’s Federation prepared from the sixth population census there were about 61 million stay-at-home children in China’s countryside at that time, 21.9 percent of the total number of children in China. Most of them continue to face difficulties from lack of family love, and inadequate upbringing, educational guardianship and protection.

The Aramco Asia Youth Program aims to build a platform for public benefit activities and calls for participation in and support for the program from all communities.