ST. PETERSBURG, June 19. /TASS/. Participants of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) can now see the best of photojournalism from 25 news agencies across countries of the Asia-Pacific region. The exposition "Culture and Journalism through the Lens of OANA (the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies)" arranged by TASS opened on the SPIEF sidelines on Thursday. TASS Director General Andrey Kondrashov said at the exhibition’s opening that it "encompasses photos of true artistic value," while Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called the exposition "a tribute to photographers who are always on the go" and ready to provide truthful and objective information along with their newswriting colleagues. In the days of SPIEF, TASS is holding the 19th OANA General Assembly, and the photo exhibition is timed to coincide with the event. The selected images reveal the richness of Asian, Middle Eastern, European and African cultural traditions and visually demonstrate the ability of culture to preserve national identity amidst globalization by showcasing diverse folk art crafts and festivities. Among the exhibit's highlights are photographs showing the art of conical hat making in the Vietnamese village of Vinh Thinh, national dances with janggu drums in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang, Malaysian wooden house moving rituals, horse races in Mongolia and Bahrain, an air show in Qatar and a fireworks festival in South Korea. Special emphasis in the exhibition is given to religious and ethnic diversity: visitors will see photos of Hindu rituals, Nowruz celebrations and unique ethnic ceremonies. The OANA project holds a mirror to challenges journalists face in the course of work. Some of the images are devoted to reporters covering tense and at times dramatic events such as the floods in Vietnam or protests in the Gaza Strip. There are two pieces from TASS photo correspondents as well: Dmitry Rogulin's photograph captures the celebrations devoted to the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War and held at the Motherland Calls monument in Russia's southern city of Volgograd; and Anatoly Sergeev's photograph marks a significant event for the agency itself - TASS celebrated its 120th anniversary in 2024.