On January 26, 2022, “Winter Olympics in the Paintings by Children” – Exhibition of Awarded Compositions and Paintings Mutually Created by Chinese and Russian Adolescents and the launching ceremony of the book – Winter Olympics in the Paintings by Children, a collection of these awarded works, were held at the State Public Scientific Technological Library of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Social Sciences. The activity was jointly held by Confucius Institute of Novosibirsk State Technical University in Russia, Novosibirsk Gorky Children’s Library of Russia, Beijing Publishing Group and Capital Library of China.

The participants took part in the activities both online and offline. Those who delivered speeches at the activity included:

Cui Shaochun, Consul General of the Consulate General of China in Yekaterinburg,

Zhang Mingzhou, president of International Board On Books For Young People (IBBY),

Pang Wei, deputy director of Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism,

Kang Wei, secretary of the Party Committee and chairperson of the Board of Directors of Beijing Publishing Group,

Mao Yajun, director of Capital Library of China,

Liu Hong, president of Dalian University of Foreign Languages,

Kuzaeva Irina, deputy director of the National Culture Policy Bureau of Novosibirsk State,

Kostina Olga, director of Novosibirsk Gorky Children’s Library of Russia, and

Lizunova Irina, director of the State Public Scientific Technological Library of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Social Sciences.

In his speech, Cui Shaochun said that “This contest themed with Winter Olympics provides a stage for Chinese and Russian adolescents to communicate their creative works and demonstrate their spirit and style. As the new generation of friendship between China and Russia, the adolescents of both countries interpret and present the Winter Olympics in their eyes and their understanding of the Olympic Spirit with imaginative artistic works. They not only express their expectation and blessing for the Beijing Winter Olympics, but also deepen the understanding and friendship between them through sharing and communication. This contest will contribute to a good start of the Years of Sports Exchange between China and Russia that span from 2022 to 2023, promote still more adolescents of both countries to increase friendly exchanges between them and continue to write a new chapter of enduring friendship between China and Russia from generation to generation.”

Zhang Mingzhou, president of IBBY, delivered a speech

Zhang Mingzhou said that the works selected from the contest unfold a new painting scroll that reflects the heart-to-heart communication and sincere friendship between children of China and Russia and write a new chapter of friendly communication between China and Russia in the contemporary era.

Pang Wei, deputy director of Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, delivered a speech

Pang Wei pointed out that the contest carried forward the Olympic Spirit, demonstrated the rich cultural heritages and traditions of both countries, and realized the goal of leveraging the aesthetic education and cultural creativity of adolescents to add luster to Beijing Winter Olympics.

Kang Wei, secretary of the Party Committee and chairperson of the Board of Directors of Beijing Publishing Group, made a speech

As the representative of the China’s publisher of the book, Kang Wei pointed out that the contest not only helped open a bright future for the relationship between China and Russia, but also promoted winter sports and created a rich atmosphere of “welcoming the Winter Olympics.” According to Kang Wei, the book is the “first” of its kind in the following three aspects: First, it is jointly created by adolescents of two countries; second, it is designed by Russian designers, signifying cross-country collaboration; third, it is published in China and Russia at the same time. The launching of the book will definitely enrich the cultural life of adolescents in both countries, and plays a significant role in promoting the people-to-people and cultural exchanges and consolidating the friendship between China and Russia.

Mao Yajun, director of Capital Library of China, Liu Hong, president of Dalian University of Foreign Languages, and Yaroslavtseva[未查到名字的正式拼写，此处按一般拼写规律拼写。], Minister of Culture of Novosibirsk State also extended their warm congratulations to the publishing of the new book.

The event of mutually writing compositions and drawing paintings among adolescents of China and Russia was formally started in April 2021. With the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics as its theme, the event solicited thematic compositions from children and adolescents of both countries, and invited children of one country to draw illustrations for the excellent compositions written by the children in the other country. The event aimed to strengthen the cultural communication between adolescents of both China and Russia through mutually creating works and learning about the artistic and literary works of each other.

More than 2,000 pieces of original writing and more than 1,000 pieces of painting were solicited. The excellent works were exhibited at Shougang Three Blast Furnace Museum and Capital Library of China, attracting the audiences of more than 100,000 person times. The exhibition held in Russia would last for three months, showcasing 80 pieces of excellent works.

At the book launching ceremony of Winter Olympics in the Paintings by Children, Khripunov Igor, president of Confucius Institute of Novosibirsk State Technical University in Russia and Kostina Olga, director of Novosibirsk Gorky Children’s Library of Russia, introduced the book in details. Themed with Winter Olympics, the book also implies that the adolescents of both China and Russia should help each other and promote each other’s progress, and that people of both countries should maintain enduring friendship.

Winter Olympics in the Paintings by Children is published by OCTOBER the Children's Literature, a magazine under Beijing Publishing Group. Once the book is formally published and distributed, it will be formally collected by major libraries in both China and Russia, and will be exhibited in the large-scale international events to be held in Russia and other countries and regions.