KIEV, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- A ceremony honoring the winners of the "Me and China" art competition was recently held here in the Ukrainian capital.
The event, held at Kyiv National Linguistic University, was organized for students studying Chinese in universities, primary schools and secondary schools across Ukraine.
Chinese Ambassador to Ukraine Ma Shengkun and Serhii Sorokin, acting rector of the university, jointly presented the awards.
Ma expressed hope that the university's teachers and students would use the study of the Chinese language and culture as an opportunity to become ambassadors for exchange and mutual learning, builders of world peace, and promoters of China-Ukraine friendship.
Karina Gevorgyan, director of the university's Confucius Institute, told Xinhua that the event has been held for eight straight years. This year, 42 pieces were selected for the contest, and more than 500 Ukrainian art enthusiasts voted online.
The winning artworks will be featured on calendars and T-shirts.
The first prize in the university student category went to "Beautiful Jiangnan" -- a painting by Zlata Kretinina, a first-year student at Kyiv National Linguistic University.
Kretinina said working on the painting helped her gain a deeper understanding of Chinese customs and traditional culture.
She added that she planned to promote Chinese culture through artwork and contribute to friendly exchanges between Ukraine and China. ■
