Source: People's Daily - People's Daily
Recently, under the guidance of the International Liaison Department of the CPC Central Committee and sponsored by the International Exchange Promotion Association of China Non-Governmental Organizations, the International Civil Society Joint Implementation of Global Development Initiatives Exchange Conference was held in a combination of online and offline. General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the conference. The theme of the conference was "Working together to build a global development community and help implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development", and about 400 representatives of multinational dignitaries, former dignitaries, envoys in China, non-governmental organizations, think tanks and enterprises attended the conference. More than 1,000 non-governmental organizations, think tanks, enterprises and the media signed the Joint Declaration on the Joint Implementation of the Global Development Initiative by International Civil Society, demonstrating the determination and confidence of civil society in various countries to discuss global development plans.
In recent years, China has actively worked with international civil society to bring together non-governmental forces to promote global development and prosperity and promote the building of a global development community.
Teach people to fish and pass on the hope of development
"Thank you for the help and care of the 'Chinese mothers', I will study hard and hope to help the Nepalese people like you." Bai Xiaomei, a Nepalese girl, expressed her wish with a fluent Chinese. She also has another title: "Mulan Girl". In October 2018, under the guidance of the Beijing Women's Federation, the "Mulan POWER" Charity Fund was jointly initiated by the Beijing Women and Children Development Foundation and the Beijing Women's International Exchange Center, aiming to promote friendly exchanges and cooperation between women and children in various countries. The first project supported by the fund is the "Nepal Poor Girls Education Assistance Program", and Bai Xiaomei is one of the nine Nepalese girls who received the first funding.
Bai Xiaomei said that with the funding of the project, the 9 girls not only successfully completed their high school studies, but also worked hard to learn Chinese, and all passed the Chinese proficiency test to meet the second-level standard. At present, 2 "Mulan Girls" have been admitted to Chinese universities. In September this year, the second phase of the "Nepal Poor Girls Education Assistance Program" will be launched, and 10 Nepalese girls will be the recipients of funding, and are expected to continue to change their destiny through learning knowledge.
In July this year, a special training was held at Wenzhou Medical University in Zhejiang Province. More than 200 trainees from Egypt, Cameroon, Central Africa and other African countries participated in the 2022 "Angel of Life" African Midwifery Assistant Training Program online. In order to help African countries reduce maternal and newborn mortality, in 2018, Ambow Zhiyuan International Cultural Development (Beijing) Co., Ltd. jointly launched the "Angel of Life" African Midwifery Assistant Training Project with Wenzhou Medical University and Tanzania China Friendship Promotion Association. From 2018 to 2019, more than 40 African trainees received training in Wenzhou. "If more people know how to teach midwifery, it can help more pregnant women." Tanzanian trainee Muacha Hapinis Tiblos hopes to bring back the knowledge he has learned and contribute to the promotion of maternal and child health in Africa.
Anna Ann Marie from Ghana is a gynecological student. "I want to teach the knowledge I learned in China to more people and further popularize it through them, and I also hope that more Chinese doctors can come to Africa to teach medical experience to local medical staff and benefit more African people," she said. ”
The power of international civil society is an important force for social progress. "We need to focus on poverty reduction, public health, education, digital connectivity and industrialization so that sustainable development benefits everyone. All States must recognize that the only way to overcome global challenges is knowledge-sharing, multilateralism and regional cooperation, which are in the interest of everyone. Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a video session: "We need to reinvigorate cooperation and solidarity on the basis of multilateralism and move towards a more inclusive, sustainable and resilient future together." ”
Send charcoal in the snow to help benefit the people's livelihood
In June, a strong earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan, killing nearly 4,000 people in the hard-hit provinces of Paktika and Khost. After the disaster, aid from China crossed the Pamir Plateau for the first time and reached the earthquake zone in Afghanistan. Chinese social organizations, Chinese enterprises in Afghanistan and overseas Chinese also moved quickly to participate in the post-disaster reconstruction of Afghanistan.
Chinese and Pashtun have the phrase "afflictions see the truth." A few days after the earthquake, the Beijing Pinglan Public Welfare Foundation's working group in Afghanistan came to the Bemar area of Afghanistan and sent flour, cooking oil, rice and other relief materials to 125 families in the five villages affected by the disaster, and also joined hands with Chinese enterprises to send milk powder and clothing to the affected people. Overseas Chinese and ethnic Chinese in Afghanistan spontaneously purchased medicines, tents, etc., and self-financed them to be transported to the disaster areas. Shamsuddin Hakyar, acting director of the Public Relations Department of the Ministry of Disaster Management of Afghanistan, expressed gratitude to all sectors of Chinese society for humanitarian assistance.
In Mongolia, China's other neighbor, when winter comes, many herders slaughter many livestock due to lack of water. "After winter, it is the most difficult period for livestock to drink water, and in temperatures of minus 20 to 30 degrees Celsius, it is difficult to find water sources that have not been frozen. In the past, water supply could only be ensured by reducing the number of cattle and sheep, and many calves and lambs that did not grow up could only be sold. A herdsman told the person in charge of the Happiness Spring project of the "Friends of the Silk Road" between China and Mongolia.
In order to solve this problem, the China Peace and Development Foundation cooperated with the Mongolian side to launch the China-Mongolia "Friends of the Silk Road" Happiness Spring Project. 15 wells were dug in nine counties in Mongolia's Kent province, and herders were taught how to use and maintain wells, and consumables such as filters were provided, which solved the drinking water needs of more than 36,000 livestock in 22,500 hectares of ranch. With the "Fountain of Happiness", the problem of insufficient water in winter in these pastures has been greatly improved. "These wells help our cattle and sheep grow smoothly!" The herders were overjoyed and repeatedly thanked the Chinese aid builders. The Office of the Prime Minister of Mongolia also expressed its gratitude to the China Peace and Development Foundation.
Schultz, former speaker of the European Parliament and president of the Fondation Friedrich Ebert in Germany, said that China's contribution to global development is based on its rich experience. China has successfully eradicated absolute poverty, made important contributions to the global poverty reduction cause, and clarified the goals of social development in the next stage and the measures to be taken. Now, China has reached out to other countries, actively responded to their development needs, and demonstrated the responsibility of a responsible major country.
Act together to create a better life
One pragmatic cooperation after another will enable the people of more countries to achieve common development.
The International Smile Children Project, launched by the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation (now renamed china rural development foundation), has been implemented in five countries, including Ethiopia, Sudan, Nepal, Myanmar and Pakistan, to help hungry children in developing countries grow up healthily and return to school by feeding or distributing food to hungry children in developing countries. By the end of 2021, a total of 91,438 person-times have been benefited.
In June this year, the donation ceremony of the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation Emergency Aid Food Parcel Project was held at kotana school in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and the food parcel benefited 1,150 students from four schools in Colombo.
In January this year, the Pacific island nation of Tonga erupted in a volcano, the Red Cross Society of China urgently allocated 3,000 family bags equipped with blankets, umbrellas, flashlights, hygiene products, etc., to help the Tonga Red Cross Society's disaster relief action to provide basic livelihood for the affected people. The Red Cross Society of China also donated 260 sets of water purification equipment to Tonga to help solve the problems of drinking water pollution and people's water difficulties...
At the International Civil Society Joint Implementation of Global Development Initiatives Exchange Conference, it was announced that the "International Civil Society Implementation of Global Development Initiative Project Library" was established, and 30 pragmatic cooperation projects including the Peace Development Fund Project, the "Non-Governmental Help Poverty Reduction" project, the International Smile Children Project, and the International Love Parcel Project were launched. Among them, the Peace development fund project launched by the China Peace and Development Foundation will invest 100 million yuan in developing countries to carry out people's livelihood projects in the fields of health, poverty reduction and education, so as to deepen cooperation in fighting the epidemic and poverty reduction, promote economic recovery and improve people's lives. Pakistan Muslim League (Sheffield) Chairman and Prime Minister Shabaz said that those policies that help promote sustainable development should be implemented in mechanisms at the national, regional and international levels, and relevant mechanisms under the framework of the United Nations should also play a role in realizing the interconnection of finance, resources, science and technology in developing countries and accelerating the construction of developing countries.
The Conference also announced the launch of the International People-to-People Cooperation Network on Poverty Reduction to build a platform for civil society in various countries to jointly promote the development of international poverty reduction. Prime Minister Skerit, leader of the Dominica Labour Party, said: "The Global Development Initiative will maximize the advantages of multilateral cooperation mechanisms. The initiative is committed to translating new experiences into joint action, providing a rare opportunity to make full use of the diverse knowledge reserves, advantages and technologies of all parties. ”
Ahern, former Prime Minister of Ireland and co-chairman of the International Action Council, said that at present, the world economic situation is grim, conflicts have broken out in some regions, and unprecedented international cooperation is needed to solve these problems. "The China Association for the Promotion of International Exchanges of Non-Governmental Organizations has been working hand in hand with its partners and hopes that the work carried out by international civil society will make positive contributions to promoting global development."
Development is the eternal theme of human society, and people of all countries are eagerly looking forward to realizing their yearning for a better life through development. International civil society will build a more solid public opinion foundation and provide stronger people's support for promoting the implementation of global development initiatives.
People's Daily ( 2022-08-15 03 edition)