HYDERABAD: The 1st International Watercolour Biennale 2016 titled Pearls of Peace through watercolour got under way at the Centre of Excellence in Arts & Design (CEAD) of the Mehran University of Engineering and Technology Jamshoro on Monday.

More than 350 paintings of 107 renowned artists from 37 countries of the world have been put on display in the four-day biennale organised by the International Watercolour Society (IWS) Globe and CEAD.

Besides local artists, 15 foreign artists were actively participating in the exhibition who hailed from Canada, Spain, Thailand, Serbia, Bulgaria, Iran and Iraq.

IWS president and noted watercolour artist Atanur Dogan said at the inauguration ceremony that the exhibition was promoting peace through watercolour art.

He advised students and artists to deploy various techniques of watercolour in their paintings.

CEAD director Prof Dr Bhai Khan Shar said the event was aimed at bringing Pakistani artists closer to their counterparts from around the world. Beside, the event gave a message of peace to people of the world, he added.