Gemstone painting exhibition highlights anti-drug awareness

The Macau Chinese Charity Foundation and the International Peace and Anti-Drug Foundation (IFPEOC) are jointly organizing an exhibition showcasing 60 gemstone paintings created by 18 orphaned children from Myanmar.

All proceeds from art sales during the exhibition, which runs through May 22, will be donated to relief efforts for the earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28.

When a gemstone lies dormant deep within a vein, it is nothing more than a piece of rock. Only through the careful craftsmanship of a charitable hand can it begin to reflect the seven colors of the rainbow, conveying the message behind each artwork presented at the Plaza Restaurant.

According to the organizers, these 18 gemstone painters were among the 150 orphans rescued by the IFPEOC during the 2008 Nargis cyclone in Myanmar.

Larry Chung, the founder and chairman of the IFPEOC, remarked during yesterday’s opening ceremony that each gemstone painting on display “not only reflects the artists’ unwavering determination and positive spirit but also embodies a profound commitment to environmental stewardship.”

He highlighted that the raw materials for each artwork are sourced from gemstone scraps, adhering to the principle of minimizing waste and preventing environmental pollution, thereby ensuring the responsible utilization of the Earth’s finite resources.

On the same afternoon, Chung participated in a seminar to share his experiences from years of anti-drug efforts in Myanmar, aiming to promote anti-drug awareness.

Chung, from Taiwan, entered the Golden Triangle region of Myanmar in 1995. He worked in the Second Special Zone of northern Myanmar, engaging in the cultivation, production, and sale of drugs.

Establishing connections with local opium farmers and high-ranking leaders in the region, he dedicated himself to eradicating the source of drugs and rescuing nearly 90,000 residents of the Wa ethnic group who relied on opium poppy cultivation for their livelihood. After years of building mutual trust and with the approval and guidance of the local government, he began promoting and implementing drug eradication initiatives.

“In our drug-affected area, many men died in the war. I wanted to provide a livelihood for these widows and orphans, so I worked in the drug-producing areas, making many sacrifices and contributions, which led to the results we see today,” Chung told reporters yesterday.

He recounted how he sold his family’s assets and donated the proceeds to support orphans in these areas, demonstrating his dedication to helping the victims.

He admitted that under the harsh conditions of that time, carrying out the seemingly impossible task of eradicating drugs came at the cost of many lives. The pain and sacrifice finally paid off in 2005, when the historic drug eradication mission was completed.

In 2007, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) verified that Myanmar’s Second Special Region no longer faced drug-related issues.

A 2017 research report by the UNODC stated that the Wa State in northern Myanmar had completely eradicated the production, transportation, and trafficking of drugs. The supply of white powder in Southeast Asia dropped dramatically from 67% to 12%. This 35,000-square-kilometer region has become a model for drug eradication and is hailed as a “purity zone.”