635 migrants intercepted off Libyan coast over past week: IOM
TRIPOLI, June 16 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Monday said that 635 migrants were intercepted at sea off the coast of Libya in the past week while attempting to reach Europe.
The migrants include 32 women and 20 children, while five bodies of migrants were recovered off the Libyan shore, the IOM said.
It noted that the agency has provided immediate emergency assistance, including lifesaving medical care, to the migrants following the rescue.
So far this year, a total of 10,634 migrants, including women and children, were intercepted at sea and brought back to Libya, while 249 migrants died at sea and 226 others went missing on the Central Mediterranean route, including those departing from Libya and other countries, the IOM said.
Since the fall of late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, the ensuing insecurity and chaos in Libya have prompted many migrants, primarily from Africa, to attempt to cross the Mediterranean Sea to reach European shores.
The intercepted migrants usually end up inside overcrowded reception centers across Libya, despite repeated international calls to close those centers and release the migrants.
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A Chinese cultural guardian holds heritage in his hands
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'He didn't really understand the field, but he trusted me. That gave me the confidence I needed.' So he stepped, without hesitation, into an entirely unfamiliar world. Through a friend, Wu met Qian Lixin, a master of painting and calligraphy at the renowned Xiling Seal Engravers' Society, the oldest arts union in China and one of China's most important traditional stone seal engraving associations. Qian accepted him as his last formal disciple, opening the door to a centuries-old craft. From novice to mentor, Wu immersed himself in years of study and hands-on practice. Nearly three decades later, he is now a recognized name in the field. Over the years, he has restored more than 300 works, ranging from Ming and Qing dynasty (1368-1911) paintings to rare modern calligraphy and ancient manuscripts. Under his hands, the scars left by time and neglect are carefully mended; each artifact brought back to life with reverence. Mounting and restoring ancient paintings demand not only technical mastery but also the ability to adapt with the times. Wu understood early on that preserving this tradition required more than solitary dedication — it needed education, innovation, and connection to the community. In 2014, he founded a mounting and restoration institute in Tianshi Township, the very place where his journey began. 'It wasn't just sentiment,' Wu said. 'Tianshi is my ancestral home. It has beautiful scenery and deep cultural roots.' The community welcomed his return with quiet pride, viewing his efforts as a bridge to the region's artistic legacy and an inspiration to the younger generation. Three years later, the institute expanded into a full-fledged academy, with growing missions in training, preservation, and public engagement. To date, more than 1,300 students have trained under Wu. They range in age from teenagers to elders in their seventies, and many come from abroad. 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Wu remembers every piece. For each, he can recount its origin, its damage, and the choices made during restoration with the clarity of someone who has lived beside them. 'In some of the older scrolls, we can still see traces left by earlier restorers, subtle patches, new backings, brushwork slightly different in hand,' Wu said. 'It's like having a quiet conversation across time.' To Wu, restoration is more than a craft. It's a responsibility — a handover of history and a dialogue with ancestors. It is about repairing what was broken, preserving what was fading, and passing forward what once seemed lost. 'Traditional culture must be carried forward by someone,' Wu said. 'It can't remain only a memory. It must become a living craft for the next generation.' – Xinhua Arts and Culture China cultural relics
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