In a fusion of art and diplomacy, Malaysia’s Lin Xiang Xiong (LXX) Art Gallery has announced a landmark partnership with Leaders for Peace, the Paris-based foundation chaired by former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin.
Supported by over 40 influential figures (including Ban Ki-Moon, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and Nobel Peace Prize laureates), the collaboration marks the start of a global programme entitled “Presenting Peace Through Art”.
This partnership aims to transform art from a form of cultural enrichment into a means of dialogue and healing. Both parties believe that peace must be nurtured not only through policy but also through the universal language of art, which fosters understanding and harmony by touching hearts and minds.
Several major projects will form part of the initiative, including a Peace Prize to be unveiled in 2026. This prize features a sculpture by renowned artist Myriam Agout, symbolising fragility, hope, and resilience.
The initiative also includes the creation of a joint multicultural artwork by artists worldwide—one version will be permanently displayed at the LXX Gallery in Penang, while another will tour internationally.
Educational programmes will support the mission by offering courses such as “Art as Healing and Expression” and “Teaching Peace Without Words.” These aim to empower future leaders with tools for empathy, resilience, and cross-cultural dialogue.
Additionally, global conferences will bring together diplomats, leaders, and artists to explore how art can break down divisions and inspire unity.
Jean-Pierre Raffarin, Honorary Chairman of Leaders for Peace, welcomed Professor Lin Xiang Xiong to the foundation’s board and stressed that peace begins in people’s hearts and minds.
“This collaboration with the LXX Art Gallery shows that art is not a passive mirror of society but an active instrument of diplomacy, shaping our shared destiny as powerfully as the signatures of treaties,” he said.
For Professor Lin, founder of the LXX Art Gallery, the partnership is an opportunity to reimagine diplomacy. He believes art can bridge cultures and open dialogue where words fall short, transforming silence into empathy, pain into conversation, and division into hope. Through this vision, the gallery becomes a symbol of reconciliation and renewal.
At a time of rising global tensions, the partnership introduces a human-centred approach to peacebuilding. It combines the reach of international policymakers with the transformative power of creativity, turning galleries into stages for dialogue and artworks into a universal language of reconciliation.
The LXX Art Gallery, due to open in Penang in December 2025, will serve as the Asian cornerstone of the initiative. It will anchor artistic thought and education around the theme of “Art for Peace”. Additionally, the Leaders for Peace mobilises its network of policymakers, UN ambassadors, and cultural figures to carry the message onto the world stage.
Together, they aim to create not only exhibitions but also spaces of remembrance, healing, and hope – where creativity itself becomes an instrument of diplomacy.
