Cultural Diplomat and Artist Yuan Xikun in Bali Island

BALI, Indonesia, Nov. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) hosts the 23rd Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that deplete the Ozone Layer in Bali. The high level Ministerial began today. Mr. Yuan Xikun and his Chinese delegation has also been invited. During a side event, delegates from all over the world presented rocks from the continents of the world and water from the two polar regions to Mr. Yuan Xikun in order to allow him to make a grand sculpture of the Ancient Goddess Nuwa as a global call for the urgent need to protect the ozone layer and combat climate change. According to ancient Chinese myth, Nuwa is a goddess who smelted a seven-color stone to block a hole in the sky. Using this well known symbol in Chinese mythology, best known for repairing the wall of heaven, Nuwa will take up a new quest, the modern day challenges of fighting ozone depletion.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111125/DC12465)

On the message from Achim Steiner, UNEP Executive Director, he recognized the important contribution that individuals can make – for example the works of art created by Prof. Yuan – to raise awareness of the urgent need to safeguard the environment.

Yuan Xikun is a renowned artist, collector, environmentalist, philosopher, educator and public speaker. Among his publications are 'From Artist to Cultural Diplomat' (Capital Civic Development Foundation 2002) and 'Art and Modern Diplomacy' (Ministry Press of Cultural Affairs 2009). His commissioned works include UNEP - Trophy of the Champion of the Earth (2010) and 'Urgency of Polar Region' (2009), World Wildlife Fund – Tiger & Forest (2010), Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Statue of Jianzhen (2008), International Olympic Committee – Statue of Juan Antonio Samaranch (2006). He received several awards including May Day Labor Honor Medal (2011), Ambassador of National Cultural Festival (2011), UNEP Patron for the Arts  Environment (2010), and Top Philanthropist & Cultural Award (2006).

Yuan's upcoming and profound environmental art project including his three Sculptures of Globe. Yuan's Three Sculptures of Globe are three different sculptures with globe as the common main element, created to call for humans' protection of the Earth.

The first sculpture is the bronze statue of Zheng He, a great Chinese navigator also known to the world. The globe serves as the base of the statue and on the base are two ships. Zheng He is gazing into the distance with a steady look, his left eye filled with homesickness, which makes the legendary navigator a man with worldly feelings. Six hundred years ago, Zheng He led the world's largest fleet across the Indian Ocean seven times, bringing the world China's silk and china, as well as peace and friendship.

The second sculpture is Napoleon with a globe. Napoleon is dying, and he is crawling down his dying bed. Skinny yet greedy as ever, he holds a globe in his arms, and grasps in one hand a scroll of military map with which he commanded his great armies, shouting, "God, please give me another chance!"

The third sculpture "Urgency in the Polar Region" (polar bears) is created for environmental protection. The miniature of this sculpture was used for the trophies of the UNEP's 2009 Champions of the Earth Award. It symbolizes the melting of an iceberg and the rise of sea levels, which endangers one family of polar bears, the guardian of iceberg. This sculpture is a warning to the world about the great damage that has been caused to the environment.

Contact: Daisy Lee, 626-636-6797, [email protected]

SOURCE Yuan Xikun