Gaomi promotes peace through culture

Liu Tiefei, curator of the Red Sorghum War Museum in Gaomi, Weifang, recently won the Gold Award at Switzerland's Helvetia International Art Competition for his painting Song of Peace. "I aimed to convey a universal force for peace that transcends borders and races," Liu said.

Liu Tiefei's painting Song of Peace won the Gold Award at Switzerland's Helvetia International Art Competition. [Photo provided by Liu Teifei/for chinadaily.com.cn]

Liu credited Weifang's status as an International City of Peace for inspiring his art, deepening his understanding of peace, and ultimately leading him to succeed in the competition, which included 20,000 artists from 32 countries.

Liu has created numerous works advocating world peace, including Dreaming of England, Wild Red Sorghum, and Resistance. Dreaming of England portrays British Olympic champion Eric Liddell, imprisoned in the Weihsien Internment Camp during WWII, dreaming of returning home, symbolizing humanity's yearning for peace.

Students on study tours experience the Olympic torch relay. [Photo provided by Liu Teifei/for chinadaily.com.cn]

As the only Chinese artist to be designated for two Olympic Games, Liu has held exhibitions in the United Kingdom, Germany, and Brazil to promote the Olympic spirit and world peace. In 2023, UNESCO nominated him as a candidate for "International Peace Artist".

Children from a local kindergarten in Gaomi, Weifang, Shandong, participate in a memorial ceremony. [Photo provided by Li Haitao/for chinadaily.com.cn]

With local government support, Liu established the Red Sorghum War Museum in Gaomi, centered on the Sunjiakou Ambush. The 2,400-square-meter museum, housing over 3,000 artifacts, has become a popular Jiaodong cultural site, drawing nearly 100,000 visitors annually.