Children admire works on display at the 10th International Youth Painting Exhibition in Lianyungang, Jiangsu. [Photo/WeChat account: lygfabu]

The 10th anniversary ceremony of the "Friendship City Painting" International Youth Painting Exhibition was held on May 30 at the Lianyungang Art Museum, marking a decade of sustained youth cultural exchange through visual arts.

This year's exhibition brought together 200 selected works, including 100 pieces from 55 international sister cities and another 100 outstanding works from the past editions.

Over the past ten years, the "Friendship City Painting" initiative has grown into a broad international platform, spanning more than 50 countries and over 100 sister cities. With a cumulative submission of over 300,000 artworks, the program has seen its selected works exhibited across Europe, Australia, the Americas, and Southeast Asia, engaging more than 200,000 young participants.

Young girls create their own shell artwork. [Photo/WeChat account: lygfabu]

Beyond the exhibition, the anniversary event extended into cultural practice. Following the launch ceremony, Lianyungang organized an immersive experience featuring intangible cultural heritage, pairing visiting youth from Turkmenistan, Russia, and Ireland with local students. Together, they explored the city's heritage and participated in a hands-on shell-carving workshop.