Chinese sculptor presents his work 'Statue of World Peace' to Israel

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The famous Chinese artist Yao Yuan presented the State of Israel with his monumental work "Statue of World Peace," out of appreciation of the yearning of the Israeli people for peace, and with the purpose of furthering this goal.

The "Statue of World Peace" is the creative oeuvre of the famous Chinese artist Yao Yuan, who set for himself the objective of promoting peace, fraternity, and harmony in the world, by way of his art. As part of his vision, he decided to present his work, the "Statue of Peace," to a number of countries around the world. In 2004, the artist presented the first sculpture in the series to France, which chose to place it at the Omaha beach in Normandy, one of the places that best symbolizes the transition from blood-filled war to peace, as part of the events marking the 60th anniversary of the Allied invasion aimed at freeing Europe from the Nazis.

The sculpture includes both Chinese and Western elements expressing peace, fraternity and harmony. Rising to a height of 15 meters, and weighing 40 tons, the stainless steel sculpture is slated to be placed in the future at the façade of the UN structure in New York, along with other locations worldwide.

The artist decided to present the third sculpture of the series to the people in Israel, on behalf of the Chinese people, as a sign of our longing for peace, and with the objective of helping promote it, and chose to place it in the city of Haifa since it is the symbol of fraternity, harmony and coexistence.

Matan Vilnai, Israel's ambassador to China, stated that presenting the "Statue of World Peace" to Israel, and placing it in the city of Haifa, at this time when the areas surrounding us are troubled and turbulent due to unprecedented upheavals, in the face of which Israel stands strong – like an solitary island of stability and freedom, constitutes the statue's message of encouragement and support on behalf of the entire Chinese people, and symbolizes the reciprocal appreciation and the feelings of regard that exist between the two peoples.

During his visit to Israel, the Chinese artist will meet with President Shimon Peres who he will present with a special model of the statue, as a sign of appreciation for the president's contribution to promoting peace in the region and for his efforts over the years to achieve it.

The formal unveiling ceremony will take place on Tuesday, August 20th, at 6:30 p.m., near the imposing Sammy Ofer Sports Stadium which is being built at the southern entrance to Haifa.

Yao Yuan, or Wen Yuan Wen which is his original name, is the descendent of Wen Tianxiang, one of the prominent heroes of Chinese history. He is the inspiration for the work of Yao Yuan, an eminent, esteemed and multifarious artist ("a Chinese Leonardo da Vinci") in many artistic fields and diverse endeavors including: sculpting, design and architecture (some of the largest projects across China are registered under his name, including central squares in the main cities, breathtaking skyscrapers and expansive parks), Chinese calligraphy (development of a calligraphic style that is unique to him), painting, photography, music (a well-known and esteemed composer and poet in China), play-writing and direction. His many works have won recognition and regard in China and worldwide.

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