A Peace of mind

For those who think that The Bund is a one-trick pony of drinks and fine dining, it might be worth taking a quiet stroll inside the newly renovated Shanghai Municipal Archives for a taste of something different.

Shanghaiist recently spent 20 minutes in a stuffy conference room of the new building's 7th floor, learning about the Peace Counts Project. Part of the 7th Shanghai International Arts Festival, Peace Counts is an exhibition of 56 photos featuring 50 ordinary people -- including writers, journalists, educators and scientists -- who have made great contributions to the peacemaking process in 11 countries (an eclectic mix: the Philippines, North Ireland, America, Columbia, Brazil, South Africa, Israel, Mali, Macedonia, Japan and Sri Lanka).

Supported by the German Foreign Ministry, the multimedia journalism project aims to unearth role models for peacemaking around the world and to bring broad exposure by creating fascinating features and photo essays. The Shanghai exhibition -- the first time Peace Counts has appeared before a Chinese audience -- incorporates the work of three photographers, among them Uli Reinhardt, some of whose work can be seen here.

Escaping the press conference, Shanghaiist descended to the 4th floor to see the exhibition proper. The room is smaller than we'd imagined, yet the intriguing works give a great insight into a group of people doing their bit for peacemaking. Many of them, it seems, have made plenty of sacrifices to devote their lives to the cause.

It's certainly worth sacrificing a night on the terrace of Bar Rouge for a look at Peace Counts.

Peace Counts. 4F, Shanghai Municipal Archives, 9 Zhongshan Dong Er Lu, from October 29 until November 11. Free entry.