On January 19, 2025, the Asian-African Women’s Development and Rights Protection Promotion Association and the 2025 New Year Reception were grandly held in Beijing. More than 150 Chinese and foreign guests, including ambassadors, wives of ambassadors and diplomats from more than 20 countries such as Malawi, Namibia, Gabon, Pakistan, Qatar and Algeria, attended the event.
President Zhao Meiling of the Asian-African Women’s Association delivered a welcome speech, warmly welcoming all Chinese and foreign guests and extending her best wishes for the Spring Festival. She reviewed the main work of the Women’s Association in 2024 with deep affection, saying that the current world’s century-old changes are accelerating, and domestic and foreign uncertainties are intertwined. With the strong support of caring people from all walks of life, the Asian-African Women’s Association has forged ahead and achieved remarkable results. Now, our partners are constantly expanding, public welfare projects are steadily advancing, and cultural exchanges are colorful. In particular, the scale of fundraising for the “Silk Road Happiness” special fund in 2024 has continued to expand, laying a solid foundation for the continued development of international public welfare projects.
She stressed that we are facing new challenges, new opportunities and new developments in 2025. The Asian-African Women’s Association will take the official registration of the Beijing Representative Office and the establishment of local offices as an opportunity to continue to deepen exchanges and cooperation with women’s organizations in various countries, jointly explore new paths for women’s development, continue to expand the scale and influence of public welfare projects, and provide help and support to more women and children.
The Malawi ambassador highly praised the AAFWA for its active commitment to international public welfare. He pointed out that among the African diplomatic missions in China, the AAFWA is a non-governmental organization that deserves attention and admiration. In the past year, the AAFWA has not only achieved remarkable results in international public welfare projects, benefiting many Asian and African countries, but also played a good role as a bridge and bond in cultural exchanges and mutual learning. It has promoted more and more Chinese companies to enter Africa, understand Africa, and establish mutually beneficial and win-win cooperative relations. Their actions have enabled African people to better understand China and feel the deep friendship of the Chinese people towards the African people. They are non-governmental friendly envoys for the people-to-people connection between China and Africa.
The wives of the ambassadors of Malawi to China, Gabon, Bahrain and other countries jointly unveiled the Beijing Representative Office of the Asian-African Women’s Association, which is an important milestone in the development of the Asian-African Women’s Association. In the future, the Beijing Representative Office will give full play to its geographical and resource advantages, actively carry out various activities, and make new contributions to enhancing mutual understanding and friendship between the Chinese and foreign people. At the event site, in order to thank many caring people for their strong support for the Asian-African Women’s Association, Chinese and foreign leaders issued honorary certificates to the winners, and warm applause rang out at the scene, expressing high respect for their good deeds.
Malawian Ambassador to China, Secretary-General Xu Jianguo of the China Peace Development Foundation, and President Zhao Meiling of the Asian-African Women’s Association presented Huang Wei and Maria with the honorary certificate of “Ambassador of Love” of the Asian-African Women’s Association.
President Zhao Meiling, President of the Association of African Ambassadors’ Wives in China, and the wife of the Gabonese Ambassador presented an honorary certificate to the excellent strategic partner “Tianjin Taishouxing International Trade Co., Ltd.”. It is worth emphasizing that a charity auction and fundraising event with special significance was also held at the event site. The embassies of Pakistan, Gabon, and Burkina Faso in China, as well as many Chinese calligraphers and painters and collectors provided auction items, raising a total of RMB 249,710 in donations, which will all be used to support women and children in the earthquake-stricken areas of Tibet. Tianjin Hezhiyoude Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. donated RMB 1 million to the “Silk Road Happiness” Special Fund of the China Peace Development Foundation to carry out international public welfare and charity projects in friendly countries along the “Belt and Road”.
“Charity Stars” Ms. Guo Hui and Ms. Huang Wei
Tianjin Hezhiyoude Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. donated 1 million yuan to the “Silk Road Happiness” special fund of the China Peace Development Foundation
The reception was filled with laughter and joy. Chinese and foreign guests tasted delicious food, appreciated traditional Chinese art, experienced Chinese culture firsthand, wrote blessings, sent blessings, and received blessings. There were also multiple rounds of raffles, which gave a strong flavor of the Chinese New Year.
We would like to express special thanks to Tianjin Hezhiyoude Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Fujian Bass World Cultural Industry Co., Ltd., Tianjin Taishouxing International Trade Co., Ltd., Shenzhen Tisili Probiotics Co., Ltd., Hebei Ningjin County Yuanyuan Planting Professional Cooperative, and Bolonburg Red Wine for their strong support for this event.
