2014 Beijing International Youth - Care for Women and Traditional Cultural Experience Camp Launched

Beijing International Youth - Care for Women and Traditional Cultural Experience Camp Opening Ceremony

"Teacher, am I correct?" "Teacher, can you teach me to paint a phoenix kite?" "Teacher, how do you think about this color scheme?" "Teacher…" A group of youths from different countries clustered around the teacher, learning traditional handicraft with interests and asking questions. The Smart Lady Art Studio in Dongcheng District was filled with laughter and permeated with youth air at the moment.

On July 2, 2014, "Beijing International Youth - Care for Women and Traditional Cultural Experience Camp" was launched in Dongcheng Smart Lady Art Studio. The camp, which was themed as "Smart Lady, Smart Life", was jointly organized by Beijing Women's International Center and Chinese Society of Education Training Center, aiming to experience Chinese traditional culture from female perspective and discuss how to create wonderful life with women's unique talents by gathering the youths from different countries in Beijing. With curiosity about Chinese culture and concerns about women, over twenty youths from thirteen different countries, including Russia, the United States, Hungary, Spain, Mexico, Egypt, Algeria, Indonesia, Vietnam, Croatia, Ecuador, Nepal and China, attended the experience camp.

In the opening ceremony, Vice Chairman of Beijing Women's Federation Zhou Zhijun extended a warm welcome in English to the youths from China and abroad, and introduced the missions and basic information of the organization and shared her understanding of smart lady and smart life. Zhou Zhijun praised the international youths' sincerity for their coming from far away to China to promote cultural exchange. She encouraged them to focus on cultural inheritance, cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue in the background of globalization in order to co-construct a harmonious world. Her address got positive responses from the youths. They expressed the willingness to know more about Chinese traditional culture and the life of women and children in Beijing through the unique experience camp. Meanwhile, they hoped to act as the envoy of friendship among different countries to introduce their own culture to Beijing youths and find out the "secret of smart life" for all people.

After the ceremony, the youths followed smart lady artists from Beijing to start their first experience day. They painted and made Chinese traditional kite and weaved Chinese knot according to their own understanding of art, during which they gradually learned about the customs, wisdom and cultural value from these handicrafts. In the following week's activities, the youths from home and abroad will feel and think about the significance of cultural inheritance in the museum and teaching pavilion of Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology, and feel the vitality of modern Beijing in diverse artistic atmosphere of Beijing Culture Creative Industry Park. Besides, they will go to Xiao Fei Xiang rehabilitation center, Hope Primary School and other institutions to bring care and pleasure to children there with the wisdom of different cultures and love in common.

The women's federation of Dongcheng District and other parties gave great support to "Beijing International Youth - Care for Women and Traditional Cultural Experience Camp". They not only provided services to activities, but also showed the artistry of smart ladies and the charm of traditional culture. In future, Beijing Women's International Center and other related organizations will cooperate closely and take respective advantage to focus on female growth and cultural exchange, aiming to provide an international platform and strong support for women's communication and development.

Source: beijingwomen.org.cn