Time slips away with the wind — it feels like we only arrived in Qitai yesterday, and today the exhibition opening is already here.

We went from strangers to familiar friends, from reserved to blending in completely, from hesitating to pick up a brush to creating freely and spontaneously.

On the first day we met, the children of Qitai paired up one-on-one with children from around the world, getting to know each other, understanding one another, and documenting each other’s stories.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition was successfully held under the chairmanship of Director Ma from the Qitai County Bureau of Culture and Tourism. Director Ma expressed his gratitude to Pure View®for coming to Xinjiang, saying that it has allowed the children of Qitai to glimpse a broader world and will inspire them to be more motivated about their futures.

Director Wang of the Qitai County Education Bureau said that he had been following every step Pure View® has taken. He saw the children experience the power of teamwork, the warmth of friendship, and the value of each individual life. In the end, what they gained was joy and a drive to improve, and the exhibition stands as the best affirmation for the children.

When they saw their paintings carefully framed and hung in the brightly lit museum, the children’s excitement and exhilaration were written all over their faces. One asked, “Will our paintings stay in the museum forever?”

These children, from Tatar Township in Qitai, had never been to the Qitai Museum before — some had never even set foot in the county seat, and none had ever imagined their work would be displayed in a museum! They had been eagerly calling their parents and relatives early on, hoping they could all come to see the exhibition.

Of course, we hope that one day your paintings really can remain on display in the museum.

Every child is a born artist.

The key is how to preserve that gift as they grow.

It took me a lifetime to learn to paint like a child.

——Pablo Picasso

Director Wang presented certificates to the children.

Teacher Li expressed her deep gratitude to the Qitai County Committee, the Education Bureau, the Bureau of Culture and Tourism, and all responsible officials for their support of the Pure View® public welfare initiative. She noted that in Xinjiang — a region widely recognized as unique in many respects — our project would have faced far greater difficulties without everyone’s help.

She encouraged the children to hold fast to the ideals within their hearts, and to apply the methods taught during our activities to observe closely the scenery, objects, and people around them. Keep your innocence, and view the world with a sincere heart.

Flowers and grasses, mountains and rivers, birds and fish, insects and all things under heaven — in the children’s drawings, everything is transformed into its most beautiful form.

Children’s paintings

Ten days of being together morning and night made parting all the harder. We had planned to dash back to Urumqi right after taking the group photo outside, but the children’s hugs and tears kept us rooted to the spot.

Goodbye, Qitai! Goodbye, classmates from Tatar!

Don’t cry — parting is for a better encounter!