On July 18, 2017, nearly 100 leaders from the philanthropy and business circles and academic elites gathered together, focusing on the future planning of "Revitalizing Rural Areas through Art & Culture” in China, and they witnessed the "Inauguration Ceremony for the International Cooperation Platform for Revitalizing Rural Areas through Art & Culture led by the Fukutake Center for Art & Philantropy”. Mr. Fukutake Soichiro, chairman of the Fukutake Group and the chief adviser of the Fukutake Center for Art & Philanthropy, visited the scene, and unveiled the Center with Professor Wang Zhenyao, president of the CGPI and dean of the China Philanthropy Research Institute of Beijing Normal University, Dong Fangjun, chairman of Beijing Dongfangjun Charity Foundation, Mr. Liu Wenkui, secretary-general of the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation, , and Mr. Dong Ce, president of Beijing Qiaonyu Foundation jointly.
Mr. Fukutake said that the rural area is an important carrier for the cultural heritage of a country and the foundation of national social development. Through the practice of "Revitalizing Rural Areas through Art & Culture", the rural area will be revitalized and the local residents will rebuild their hope, confidence and pride in the village due to art. Entrepreneurs have possessed a lot of wealth only relying on investment in the economy, but the company does not necessarily have long-lasting vitality; however, the influence of investing in culture lasts forever. Everyone seeks permanent things in their limited lives, so that people’s shadows will be perpetuated after their lives terminate. This shadow is art and culture. Mr. Fukutake expects more entrepreneurs in China to invest in culture, and promote the participation of more Chinese people, so as to boost the development of philanthropic undertakings in China, and inspire people’s pride in Chinese long history and culture.
The "International Cooperation Platform of Revitalizing Rural Areas through Art & Culture" is jointly operated and implemented by the Fukutake Center for Art & Philanthropy and partners from all walks of life at home and abroad. It aims to rediscover the vitality of sustainable development in the rural area through transformation of the local with art and culture; and enhance the self-esteem and self-confidence as well as the life quality of the villagers through the realization of harmony between the rural community and the natural environment with art and culture. As the first landing project of the Fukutake Center for Art & Philanthropy, the project of "Revitalizing Rural Areas through Art & Culture in the Peach Blossom Island" makes full use of the international art resources leveraged by the "International Cooperation Platform of Revitalizing Rural Areas through Art & Culture" and has attracted the affectionate joining of the well-known French artist Paul Andrew, and prominent world-class artists such as Tadao Ando, Fram Kitagawa, and Hiroshi Sambuichi also expressed their intentions for future cooperation. The Peach Blossom Island of the Longziyu Village in Yiyuan, Shandong bears the mission of the times to bring the "Naoshima Model" to Chinese rural areas. Surrounded by mountains and rivers, and covered with green waters and green hills, it is known as "a paradise on earth, a heaven of peace". The project of "Revitalizing Rural Areas through Art & Culture in the Peach Blossom Island" will take cases of art rejuvenating rural areas in Naoshima and Echigo Tsumoyo as a demonstration, and combine the original culture, lifestyle and artistic development value of Longziyu Village to carry out artistic reconstruction, comprehensive revitalization of rural areas and protection of cultural ecology.
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