On the afternoon of December 15 (CET), the 2023 CDB Salon took place at the European Times Cultural Center in Paris, France. The event was live-streamed via Zoom conference, showcasing nine documentaries highlighting the international humanitarian efforts of Chinese NGOs.
The salon was co-organized by China Development Brief (CDB) and the Beijing Peaceland Foundation with support from the Bröt Foundation, European Times, Peking University French Alumni Association, Paris Neo-Commune Association of International Culture Exchange, and other organizations.
The gathering attracted a diverse of audience, including personnel from UN agencies and INGOs, overseas Chinese, Chinese students in Paris, and individuals from various backgrounds interested in these pertinent issues.
Smiley Wang, Chairman of CDB, delivered a speech from Sydney, Australia, enlightening the European audience about the evolution of Chinese NGOs and their current involvement in international humanitarian endeavors.
He underscored the escalating significance of Chinese NGOs on the global platform, highlighting that they not only reflect the development and transformations within Chinese society but also make substantial contributions to global humanitarian initiatives.
Ray Zhang, vice Chairman and Executive Director of CDB, addressed the audience via video, extending gratitude to the Bröt Foundation and other partners for their invaluable support toward this salon event. He expressed anticipation for the increased involvement of Chinese NGOs on the international stage.
(Ray Zhang, Vice Chairman and Executive Director of CDB, delivered a video speech)
Ms. Liu Xi, the representative of Beijing Peaceland Foundation in Geneva, Switzerland, made a special journey from Geneva to Paris to grace the salon event and deliver a speech.
She highlighted the humanitarian efforts undertaken by the Peaceland Foundation in recent years and referenced Xi Jinping’s significant directive: ‘’humanitarianism is the greatest consensus capable of uniting diverse civilizations.’
Expressing her hope for increased participation of Chinese NGOs in global humanitarian endeavors, she envisioned a collective response to global challenges. Ms. Liu also anticipated that the documentary screenings would inspire fresh perspectives and encourage greater attention and involvement in in humanitarian causes.
(Ms. Liu Xi, attending the HR75 high-level meeting at the Palais des Nations in Geneva in early December)
Emmanuel Rocky, founder of the Kilimanjaro Aid Project (KAP) in Tanzania, conveyed his message through a video. He expressed gratitude for the impactful local work done by Chinese NGOs, emphasizing their essential role in international humanitarian relief efforts. Emmanuel also expressed anticipation for increased contributions from Chinese NGOs towards global welfare.
(Mr. Emmanuel Noci, founder of Tanzania’s Kilimanjaro Rescue Project, delivered a video speech)
Ms. Wang Jing, the representative of the Beijing Peaceland Foundation in Tanzania, delivered an English speech highlighting the secondary crises emerging in the Kilimanjaro region due to global climate change in recent years. She detailed their initiatives supporting local organizations in wildfire prevention and control projects, as well as providing assistance for community economic development.
(Ms. Wang Jing, the representative of Beijing Peaceland Foundation in Tanzania, delivered a video speech)
After the guests’ speeches, Mr. Wang Zhuolun, Development Manager of China Development Brief, took on the role of host, presenting a screening of nine documentaries showcasing the international humanitarian endeavors of Chinese NGOs for the audience.
The inaugural documentary showcased a team of Chinese non-governmental volunteers engaged in wildlife protection in Zimbabwe, Africa, titled ‘I Fight Poaching in Africa.’ Years of poaching for ivory have placed African elephants at the brink of extinction within the next 50 years. With the rise in domestic purchasing power. China has emerged as the primary global destination of ivory smuggling.
The second documentary narrates the tale of a Chinese NGO team engaged in demining operations in Cambodia.
Cambodia has been deeply affected by mines, initiating demining efforts in 1998; however, numerous areas remain uncleared. , In this field, only a handful of private organizations, such as HALO Trust, are engaged in demining and cleanup operations.
On March 4, 2019, in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, the Beijing Peaceland Foundation and the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA), let by Prime Minister Hun Sen, signed a ‘Memorandum of Understanding on Development Project Cooperation.’ The agreement focused on conducting a demining pilot project in the vicinity of Angkor Wat.
As of 2023, the project successfully cleared 70 hectares of mine-affected land, eliminating a total of 63 landmines and 99 unexploded ordnances. This effort has directly benefited 1,164 individuals from 247 households in Dabung Temo Village, Banthi Slay District, Siem Reap Province.
The documentary showcasing the XCMG water cellar project, facilitated by the Ethiopia Office of China Foundation for Rural Development, captured significant attention among the Parisian audience. It sparked discussions on various topics, including the involvement of Chinese enterprises in international humanitarian efforts and social governance. Moreover, attendees engaged in conversations regarding the utilization of Chinese water cellar technology. and other water purification technologies in the least developed countries and regions in Africa.
(Parisian audiences watching the XCMG documentary)
Throughout the salon, documentaries highlighting the emergency rescue efforts undertaken by Chinese volunteer teams in response to overseas natural disasters – including earthquakes in Turkey, Syria, Afghanistan, and Nepal, as well as floods in Iran – were successively screened.
(Parisian audiences watching the documentary about CFRD Nepal Office, which was established after the 2015 Nepal earthquake)
After the salon, Chinese NGO representatives visited the European Times Cultural Center.
(From right to left: Ms. Liu Xi, representative of Beijing Peaceland Foundation in Geneva; Ms. Xu Jiarong, principal of the European Times Cultural Center Chinese School; Mr. Wang Zhuolun, development manager of CDB)
