Renowned humanitarian-artist Professor Lin Xiang Xiong (“Professor Lin”) and founder of the upcoming Lin Xiang Xiong Art Gallery in Penang, was recently awarded the Gold Medal of Honor by the Ligue Universelle Du Bien Public at a prestigious ceremony held at the Luxembourg Palace in Paris.
The prestigious accolade celebrates Professor Lin’s decades-long dedication to the arts, peacebuilding, and public service, recognising him as a ‘messenger of art and peace’ whose work embodies compassion, cultural dialogue, and humanitarian values.
“This award is an important academic and practical benchmark in the global arts and cultural world, and I am humbled to receive such high acknowledgement,” Professor Lin said, “This honour is not mine alone. It is a tribute to the enduring power of art to transcend borders, unite cultures, and heal humanity. In a world facing deep divisions and unrest, I believe that art can serve as a bridge of understanding and a voice for the voiceless. I accept this award in the name of all who strive to use creativity for peace, dignity, and human progress.”
Established in 1464 and recognised by the United Nations and UNESCO since 1947, the Alliance awards individuals who have made outstanding contributions to public welfare. Past recipients include Winston Churchill, astronaut Edwin Aldrin, and former U.S. President Gerald Ford.
Professor Lin’s recognition is a lifetime achievement rooted in innovation and long-term commitment to advancing public good through art. This legacy will soon take physical form in the Lin Xiang Xiong Art Gallery, an 8,000-square-meter cultural landmark in Penang. The gallery aims to solidify the ethos of “Art for Peace” and serve as a regional hub for artistic and humanitarian dialogue.
In conjunction with the opening of the Art Gallery, Professor Lin called on other artists as catalysts for peace via the Lin Xiang Xiong Art for Peace Prize 2025. This inaugural annual prize is open to all artists, regardless of age or nationality. For more information, details and application, please visit, Lin Xiang Xiong Art for Peace Prize.
During Professor Lin’s visit to France, Professor Lin met with prominent cultural and political figures, including former President François Hollande, former Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin and former Minister of Culture Jack Lang.
He also took part in the “Art Season” forum at the iconic Café de Flore in Paris, an artist salon organised by Saisons de Culture. Held in one of the city’s most storied intellectual spaces, the event featured Professor Lin as the keynote speaker, where he shared his vision of art as a conduit for societal healing and global understanding. Centered on his long-standing advocacy of “Art for Peace,” the salon brought together distinguished scholars and artists from France and across Europe for a rich, thought-provoking dialogue on the role of creativity in promoting peace and intercultural harmony.
About Lin Xiang Xiong – Professor Lin Xiang Xiong is a renowned artist, entrepreneur, and advocate for global security through art. As President of the Global Chinese Arts & Culture Association, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Art, and a visiting Professor at Peking University, Lin’s work crosses disciplines and borders, connecting Eastern and Western cultures.
After leaving China for Singapore in 1956, Lin pursued art studies at the Academy of Arts (1965–1968). Success in business, particularly in the mining industry in Malaysia, funded his travels, art remained his personal refuge and lifelong passion.
His painting style is a dynamic combination of abstraction, traditional techniques, and contemporary social commentary, touching on themes such as climate change, war, forced migration, and the human condition. Despite being involved in the commercial field, Lin has never neglected his commitment to art as a force for good.
Professor Lin is an outspoken advocate of the power of the arts in promoting peace and unity. In 2016, he curated a UNESCO exhibition titled “Art for Peace – Cultural Dialogue between East and West”, which calls on artists to rise up as peacemakers, reduce inequality, and protect the planet. These events resulted in important cultural dialogues that have been documented and archived by UNESCO.