Beijing Women's Federation

Christine Bernabeu, president of HERA (Humanité, Equilibre, Rencontre, Avenir) Transcontinentale, visits Hongqiao Market in Dongcheng district in Beijing.

At the invitation of the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), Christine Bernabeu, president of HERA (Humanité, Equilibre, Rencontre, Avenir) Transcontinentale, a French non-profit organization, attended the thematic forum on people-to-people connectivity of the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (held in Beijing from October 17 to 18). Some staff workers from Beijing Women’s Federation (BWF) accompanied Bernabeu during her visit to Hongqiao Market, in Dongcheng district.

A collage photo shows Christine Bernabeu, president of HERA (Humanité, Equilibre, Rencontre, Avenir) Transcontinentale, during her visit to Hongqiao Market.

Hongqiao Market is one of bases for women in Beijing to carry out international exchanges. It is also an official reception agency for the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. Accompanied by staff workers from BWF and Hongqiao Market, Bernabeu visited an incubation park for intangible cultural heritage, where she closely appreciated the traditional Chinese handicrafts of snuff bottles decorated with interior painting and Tangqianyan-style shuttlecocks and held talks with local businesswomen and inheritors of intangible cultural heritage. The visit also brought Bernabeu to a live-streaming base, where she inspected the operation of e-commerce and learned the innovative approaches adopted by Hongqiao Market to create new growth momentum for traditional consumption models via integrating culture with technology.

Bernabeu introduced the HERA Transcontinentale, which she founded to protect intangible cultural heritage worldwide. The organization has conducted fruitful cooperation with many Chinese women-oriented organizations on women’s innovation and employment, environmental protection and cultural exchanges, and Bernabeu hoped that she will visit China together with more French entrepreneurs next time and look for more in-depth cooperation.

Bernabeu said she was happy to attend the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation and that following the approach of consultation and collaboration for shared benefits, the event will definitely pool more resources and strength that promote the exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and French women. Women from the two countries will advance the common development of women's affairs worldwide with concerted efforts, she added.