Beijing Women's Federation

Beijing Women's Federation (BWF), Beijing Municipal Office for Cultural-Ethical Progress , Beijing Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau, and Beijing Volunteer Service Federation jointly held an event to promote women-oriented volunteer services in the capital city on December 3.

With the theme “making higher achievements in the new era and bringing volunteer services to families,” the special event aimed to further study and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, act on the guiding principles of the 13th National Women's Congress of China (NWC) and showcase the positive image of local women volunteers and their families. It also aimed to lead and guide women, children and their families to engage in volunteer services, carry forward the spirit of volunteers featuring contribution, friendship, mutual support and progress, promote traditional Chinese virtue, foster fine family traditions, and encourage volunteers to make full use of their functions in advancing grassroots social governance and social progress. Zhang Yajun, Secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group and President of the BWF, attended and addressed the event. Those in attendance of the activity also included Ding Lei, Deputy Secretary of Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Youth League (CYL), Yang Baoshan, an inspector from Beijing Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau, and officials from the Publicity Department of Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

Beijing Women's Federation holds an event to showcase the achievements made by women-oriented volunteer services in the capital city.

The event comprised video shows, presentation of exemplary stories, on-site interviews, poetry recitation, stage play based on true stories and choir performance to review the achievements of women volunteer services in Beijing over the past years.

Volunteers give a presentation during the event.

Several volunteers shared their touching stories at the gathering. Xie Jiaxin, a volunteer from Huairou district, said that the reason for her to become a volunteer was to bring warmth and hope to disadvantaged children. Zhao Min, who comes from Chaoyang district, said that as a volunteer promoting family education, she is committed to spreading scientific education philosophies among more people. Xue Bing, a lawyer, said that she and other women lawyers have jointly founded a volunteer team of legal professionals to spread legal knowledge among the public. Lu Wei, a member of the Blue Sky Rescue team from Fangshan district, shared with participants her rescue efforts in the floods this summer.

A volunteer tells her stories during the event.

Wang Yuxiao and Wang Yuheng, two children from Fengtai district, joined Miao Changbao, an elderly person, to give a show based on stories of volunteer families. Member of the children’s art troupe from Hongdiezhijia Women and Children's Volunteer Services Promotion Center presented a recitation show.

Wang Yuxiao, Wang Yuheng and Miao Changbao give a show based on stories of volunteer families.

Heads of community-level women-oriented volunteer stations briefed attendees on the progress of a women volunteer service project.

Heads of community-level women-oriented volunteer stations talk about the progress of a women volunteer service project.

Representatives of women volunteers from Daxing district sang a song titled "Pledges of Women", which was one of top 10 songs for women volunteer in 2022.

A group of volunteers from Daxing district perform during the event.

In her speech, Zhang said that volunteer service has become an important symbol of social cultural-ethical advancement and is an integral component of the overall work to strengthen cultural-ethical progress, foster and implement core socialist values. Right now, women have grown into a leading force in volunteer services, carried forward the dedicated spirit shown by volunteers during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and the anti-COVID-19 efforts, and developed into a reliable force in communities, for families and needy people, especially in flood rescue and reconstruction work. On the new journey ahead, women volunteers should strengthen their capacity building in serving society, follow the spirit of volunteers, serving well seniors and children, and strive to make new contributions to the publicity of the Party's theories and policies, scientific popularization and family education, and the protection of women's and children's lawful rights and interests.

Some participants share their ideas during the event.

Zhang asked women's federations at all levels across the capital city to become a reliable source of support for women volunteers. First, they should further strengthen the building of women volunteer service work system, bolster the guidance of volunteer services, reinforce the cultivation and support of volunteer organizations, expand the scope of professional volunteer services, make plans for volunteer service projects and publicize relevant work. Second, they should constantly increase necessary guarantees for women volunteer services, advance the building of women volunteer services stations, offer service venues and equipment, increase investment for women volunteer services, explore new incentives for volunteer services and enhance the professional level of volunteer services through training. They should also give more care to women volunteers and make them feel the warmth of women's federations. Third, they should bolster the cultivation of women volunteer service team, give priorities to the building of family-centered volunteer service teams, stimulate the participation of more families into volunteer services, and encourage government departments, social bodies, enterprises, public institutions and organizations of new social forces and new business sectors to set up their volunteer service teams. They should enhance the managerial level of women volunteer services, extend more support to training and exchange activities, and boost the organizational, planning and brand-building capacity concerning women volunteer services.

Some participants pose for a group photo during the event.