Spotlight: Countries hold photo exhibitions to commemorate end of WWII

As Thursday marks the 70th anniversary of the defeat of Japan in World War II (WWII), various photo exhibitions on wars against Japanese aggression are held across the world as a means to commemorate the historical day and promote peace.

More than 30 historical photos featuring the collaboration between China and the United States during WWII were exhibited at the Los Angeles city hall Tuesday.

"The stories captured in these photographs remind us of the common humanity that unites our two nations," Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who was not able to attend the opening ceremony of the exhibition Tuesday, said in a message delivered by Deputy Mayor Jeff Gorell.

The exhibition was co-organized by the Chinese Consulate-General in Los Angeles and the Office of Mayor Garcetti, and supported by the China Overseas Exchange Association.

"The exhibition is a chance to recall the common cause that bound together two great Pacific nations: the United States and China. Serving side by side, the two nations forged legendary friendships that transcended race, language and culture ... The exhibition celebrates those collective memories that today continue to inspire collaboration and peace," the mayor's office said in a statement.

In Mandalay, the second-largest city of Myanmar, a photo exhibition to commemorate the end of WWII was launched Saturday, under the theme of "Pray for World Peace, Don't Forget the Lessons of History."

The exhibition featured a collection of pictures of the Chinese people worldwide, attracting about 500 visitors.

The exhibition was jointly organized by the Myanmar-China Friendship Association in Mandalay, the Mandalay Multi-Religious Society, the Chinese Consulate-General in Mandalay, Paukphaw Network website and other Chinese associations.

The photo exhibtion showcases the great losses suffered in the war and highlights the importance of peace, Chairman of the Myanmar-China Friendship Association in Mandalay U Po Myint said, adding that people all over the world love peace and hate war.

"Peace and development have become the mainstream of the world and it is needed to jointly safeguard world peace," the Chinese Consul-General in Mandalay Wang Yu said.

A similar exhibition titled "Remember the History and Look into the Future" opened Tuesday in Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia.

The exhibition featured more than 200 historical photos on Japanese aggression in China, Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries and the crimes the Japanese committed.

The exhibition is being held to commemorate the efforts the Chinese and Indonesian people made to resist the invasion and to uphold the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War, preventing history from repeating itself.

Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia Xie Feng said at the opening ceremony that China and Indonesia both had been invaded and hurt by Japan and thus shared a common experience.

The ambassador noted that the two countries had fought shoulder to shoulder to resist the invasion and fight for peace. "I hope by showcasing the valuable historical photos, the Indonesian society, especially the young generation, will have a better understanding of this phase of history and cherish the hard-earned peace," Xie said.

In New York, at the United Nations (UN) headquarters, a photo exhibition displaying Chinese people's stories during the Japanese aggression kicked off on Monday.

The exhibition, titled "Remembering for Peace," displayed many historical photos showcasing the efforts made in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.

"We would never want to see it (the scourge of war) again and we have an obligation to prevent it from happening," said Jan Eliasson, UN deputy secretary-general at the opening ceremony of the exhibition.

"It (the war) was of course an unspeakable series of horrible events, both on the battlefield and affecting civilians to a degree that had never happened in history," Eliasson said.

"Seventy years ago, the Chinese people, through painstaking struggles and with enormous sacrifices, ultimately defeated the atrocious aggression of the Japanese militarists and won the nation's first complete victory over foreign invaders in modern history," said Wang Min, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, also at the opening ceremony.

Similar photo exhibitions are also being held in Russia, Malaysia and the Republic of Korea, among other countries. Endi