Shenzhen Institute of international public welfare

On May 20, 2019, “The Belt and Road” World Charity Journey and“National Charity Award: Excellent Accomplishment and 365 Outstanding Contribution”Commendation Conference jointly organized by the Group of Kindness Fund of Overseas Chinese Charity Foundation of China and CGPI was held in Overseas Chinese History Museum of China.

For this event, the Group of Kindness Fund of Overseas Chinese Charity Foundation of China has organized a professional vehicle fleet, planning to visit more than 70 countries in three years. It will go through 9 countries including Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal in the first phase and is expected to end around the 2020 Spring Festival.

Nearly 200 participants included He Jining, Vice Chairman and Secretary General of Overseas Chinese Charity Foundation of China, Wang Zhenyao, President of China Philanthropy Research Institute (CPRI) of Beijing Normal University, Zhu Xisheng, Secretary General of China Children and Teenagers’ Foundation (CCTF), Vice President of Overseas Chinese Charity Foundation of China and founder of the Group of Kindness, volunteer representatives of the Group of Kindness from around the nation, and domestic and overseas reporters.

Gangzi, Vice President of Overseas Chinese Charity Foundation of China and founder of the Group of Kindness, said in his speech that the Group of Kindness Fund of Overseas Chinese Charity Foundation of China and the “Belt and Road” vehicle fleet have successfully completed three seasons of “Love Travel”, and visited almost all the large and medium-sized cities and various poverty-stricken areas in China with total distance of over 300,000 kilometers, not only bringing materials and philanthropic money to people in need but also spreading philanthropic concept of “philanthropic deeds and persuasion, philanthropy by all the people” widely. This “Belt and Road” world journey will continue to participate in supporting the "Belt and Road" initiative and disseminate the philanthropic concept of “philanthropy by all the people” via philanthropic communication and private exchanges.

Since China proposed the “Belt and Road” initiative in 2015, its development has been in full swing, and more and more countries and international organizations have responded positively. With the wisdom and responsibility of a great power, China is strengthening international cooperation and promoting exchange and integration of economy and culture of the Belt and Road countries with win-win cooperation. At the roundtable summit of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held on April 27, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in his opening speech that “we should carry out a wide range of cultural exchanges with rich content and various forms, and implement more livelihood cooperation projects.” Philanthropy is an indispensable part of cultural communication, and also one of the important manifestations of “borderless” culture.

On behalf of All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese and Overseas Chinese Charity Foundation of China, He Jining, Vice Chairman and Secretary General of Overseas Chinese Charity Foundation of China extended warm welcome to all the attending guests and philanthropic people, and extended respect to the volunteers for the forthcoming journey. He said that good bilateral relationship lies in close relationship between their people, which also lies in linked mind. and linked mind needs philanthropy first. This “Belt and Road” World Charity Journey has three main tasks: to communicate with the philanthropic organizations and the societies along the “Belt and Road” countries, to introduce and disseminate the Group of Kindness’ philanthropic concept of “philanthropy by all the people”, and to coordinate with the Chinese and overseas Chinese in local places to understand and summarize the philanthropic demands of Belt and Road countries and lay the foundation for more Chinese philanthropic organizations to “go out”.

Wang Zhenyao, President of CGPI, praised the Group of Kindness as an outstanding example that practices “philanthropy by all the people” among the Chinese philanthropic organizations. He said that he was moved by its three “real” points: real donation by 1 RMB per day, real journey which uses philanthropy to establish close connection with society, and real innovation as the idea of “philanthropy by all the people” has been expanded into more specific philanthropic projects. “The Belt and Road” World Charity Journey is the first organized, planned, and targeted “going out” philanthropic activity of Chinese non-governmental philanthropic organizations. It is of great significance to promote communication with people from “Belt and Road” countries, consolidate the foundation of public opinion for “Belt and Road” development, improve the production and living conditions of the people there, and enhance friendship with people there.

CGPI is willing to provide academic support for the “Belt and Road” World Charity Journey, jointly contribute to Belt and Road construction, and contribute to the development of philanthropy in China and the world. It is also Wang Zhenyao’s hope that through “Belt and Road” World Charity Journey, we can truly establish a “Belt and Road” philanthropy alliance, in which different countries can unite to lead civilization and influence the world with philanthropy.

At the ceremony, Ma Libo, member of Management Committee and head of International Liaison Department of the Group of Kindness, also introduced the development of the Group of Kindness in English.

At the event, leaders and guests also awarded trophies and honorary certificates to the outstanding volunteer representatives who won “National Charity Award: Excellent Accomplishment and 365 Outstanding Contribution” to promote the concept that everyone can be philanthropic, spread positive energy, advocate philanthropy by all the people, and promote its construction and development by commending the outstanding volunteers who keep doing good every day.