WEDS.AA 2025 New Year Reception
On January 19, 2025, the Women Empowerment & Development Society in Asia-Africa 2025 New Year Reception were held ceremoniously in Beijing. Over 150 Chinese and foreign guests, including ambassadors, spouses, and diplomats from over 20 countries, such as Malawi, Namibia, Gabon, Pakistan, Qatar, Algeria, and others, attended the event.
President Zhao Meiling of the Women Empowerment & Development Society in Asia-Africa(hereinafter referred to as WEDS.AA) delivered a welcome speech, warmly welcome to all Chinese and foreign guests and extending best wishes for the Spring Festival. She fondly reviewed the main work of WEDS.AA in 2024, stating that amidst the accelerating evolution of global changes over the past century and the intertwining of domestic and international uncertainties, WEDS.AA has forged ahead with resilience and achieved remarkable results with the strong support of people from all walks of life. Our cooperation partners continue to expand, public welfare projects are steadily advancing, and cultural exchanges are abundant and vibrant. In particular, the “Silk Road Happiness” Special Fund raised funds on an increasingly large scale in 2024, laying a solid foundation for the continuous implementation of international public welfare projects.
She emphasized that in 2025, we face new challenges, opportunities and developments. Taking the official registration of the Beijing Representative Office and establishing local offices as an opportunity, WEDS.AA will continue to deepen exchanges and cooperation with women’s organizations from various countries, jointly explore new paths for women’s development, and expand the scale and influence of public welfare projects to provide more assistance and support to women and children.
The Ambassador of Malawi highly praised WEDS.AA for its active dedication to international public welfare undertakings. He pointed out that among the African diplomatic missions in China, WEDS.AA is an NGO that attracts attention and admiration. In the past year, WEDS.AA has not only achieved significant results in international public welfare projects, benefiting numerous Asian and African countries but also played a crucial bridging role in cultural exchanges and mutual learning. It has promoted more and more Chinese enterprises to enter Africa, understand Africa, and establish mutually beneficial and win-win cooperative relationships. Their actions have made African people understand China better and perceive the deep affection of the Chinese people towards African people. They are the folk-friendly envoys connecting the hearts of China and Africa.
The Ambassador of Malawi, and the spouses of the ambassadors of Gabon, Bahrain, and other countries, jointly unveiled the plaque for the Beijing Representative Office of WEDS.AA, marking an important milestone in the development of WEDS.AA. In the future, the Beijing Representative Office will fully leverage its geographical and resource advantages to actively carry out various activities and make new contributions to enhancing mutual understanding and friendship between the Chinese and foreign peoples.
At the event venue, we are grateful for the strong support of numerous benevolent individuals to WEDS.AA, Chinese and foreign leaders presented honorary certificates to the awardees, and warm applause echoed through the venue, expressing profound respect for their benevolent deeds.
The Ambassador of Malawi, Secretary-General Xu Jianguo of the China Foundation for Peace and Development, and President Zhao Meiling of WEDS.AA presented honorary certificates “Ambassador of Love” to Huang Wei and Maria.
President Zhao Meiling, and the Chairperson of the GAAS, who is also the wife of the Gabonese ambassador, presented honorary certificates to the “Outstanding Strategic Partner, Tianjin TSX Scaffolding &Formwork Group Co.Ltd.”
It is worth emphasizing that a charity auction and fundraising event of special significance was also held at the event venue. Embassies of Pakistan, Gabon, Burkina Faso, and several Chinese painters and collectors provided auction items, raising a total of RMB 249,710 in donations, which will be entirely used to assist women and children in the earthquake-stricken areas of Tibet. Tianjin Forherb Pharmaceutical Co., LTD. donated RMB 1 million to the “Silk Road Happiness” Special Fund of the China Foundation for Peace and Development for international public welfare and charity projects in friendly countries along the “Belt and Road” route.
(Ms Guo Hui and Ms Huang Wei were honored as the “Star of Charity.”)
(Tianjin Forherb Pharmaceutical Co., LTD. donated RMB 1 million to the “Silk Road Happiness” Special Fund of the China Foundation for Peace and Development.)
The reception venue was filled with laughter and joy. Chinese and foreign guests savored delicacies, appreciated traditional Chinese art, personally experienced Chinese culture, wrote, gave, and received blessings, and participated in multiple rounds of lucky draws, making the atmosphere thick with the flavor of the Chinese New Year.
Special thanks go to Tianjin Forherb Pharmaceutical Co., LTD., Fujian Basi World Cultural Industry Co., LTD., Tianjin TSX Scaffolding &Formwork Group Co.Ltd., Shenzhen DeSlim Probiotics Co., LTD.,Hebei Yuanyuan Agricultural and Planting Professional Cooperative, and Chateau BolongBao Dry Red Wine for their strong support of this event.