U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama on Monday honored a Chinese program dedicated to preserving the cultural heritage of the Dong people of China, presenting representatives of the program with International Spotlight Award from the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities.

The program honored was the 100 Dong Song Program. Wu Lianyun, a 13 year-old girl who participates in the program, and Ren Hexin, curator of Dimen Dong Cultural Eco-Museum, received the award at a White House ceremony. Deng Hongbo, Deputy Chief of Mission and Minister from the Embassy of China, joined Mrs. Obama in presenting the award.

In remarks to the press, Deng said the award is an opportunity to showcase unique folk art of China to the American public, enhancing understanding and cultural exchange of the two peoples. He voiced expectation that more folk art from China can gain an international audience.

The 100 Dong Song Program, an initiative of the Western China Cultural Ecology Research Workshop, teaches hundreds of youth to express themselves through traditional Dong music.

The workshop plays an important role in inspiring Dong children and youth to appreciate and preserve their heritage, because young people are key to perpetuating these cultural traditions,

The Dong people are an indigenous ethnic group whose population is concentrated in the mountainous village of Dimen, in southwest China's Guizhou province. Traditionally, they had no written version of their own language, known as Kam. Instead, they passed down customs and history from generation to generation through songs.

The award was presented as part of the presentation of the 2012 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards.