The "Children's Day, Shared Joy" event was jointly held by the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation (CSCLF), the China Soong Ching Ling Science & Culture Center for Young People and the International Committee for the Promotion of Chinese Industrial Cooperatives at the China Soong Ching Ling Science & Culture Center for Young People in Beijing on the morning of May 31 to celebrate the arrival of the Dragon Boat Festival (also known as Duanwu Festival) and the International Children's Day.
The gathering drew the attendance of over 300 families from 30 countries, which included China, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Iraq and Armenia. They engaged in cultural exchanges and sci-tech exploration. Wu Weishan, Member of the Standing Committee and Deputy Secretary-General of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Full-time Vice-President of the China Democratic League (CDL) Central Committee and Member of the CSCLF Council, Zhang Jiming, Vice-Chairperson of the CSCLF, and Michael Crook, Member of the CSCLF Council and Chairman of the International Committee for the Promotion of Chinese Industrial Cooperatives joined with Chinese and international children to admire traditional Chinese culture and grasp a deep understanding of scientific charm.
The event kicked off at 9 a.m. at the Future Theatre. An array of scientific demonstrations and artistic shows earned thunderous applause from the audience. David G. Evans, a British professor at Beijing University of Chemical Technology, gave a fascinating scientific show of liquid nitrogen-induced fog effect and iodine clock reactions, leaving a deep impression on teenage attendees.
Performers also presented their shows of traditional Chinese martial arts, opera, acrobatics, Bianlian (or face-changing) and dancing to unveil unique charm of fine traditional Chinese culture. The chorus performance of "the Common World" by Chinese and international children brought the entire event's atmosphere to a climax.
In addition to artistic shows, there were also three parallel thematic exhibitions at the China Soong Ching Ling Science & Culture Center for Young People. For instance, the "Silk Road Children's Dream: Miniature Coincidences" stamp exhibition, which was an important practice activity of the "Silk Road Future Youth Action," displayed a collection of thematic stamps featuring the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Madame Soong, the CSCLF and the International Children's Day to help attendees learn more about the integration between traditional Chinese culture and modern art.
Under the guidance of stamp designers, children took part in the design of their own commemorative envelopes and greeting cards, created a large-scale Dragon Boat Festival-themed painting, and engaged in such activities as coloring greeting cards and stamping special theme postmarks. Wang Yifan, a young student with the China Soong Ching Ling Science & Culture Center for Young People, talked with them about commemorative stamps for the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. The design features elements depicting the Maritime Silk Road as well as the Continental Silk Road, such as waves and clouds, to underscore ancient Chinese philosophies that water benefits all things as well as the principles of inclusiveness and integration. There are ruins of ancient civilization and modern architecture at the base of each stamp, revealing China's aspiration to promote the implementation of the BRI and achieve the common dream of peace, development and prosperity with other BRI countries.
Wang's vivid explanations helped teenage participants better understand the importance of mutual learning between different civilizations and sow the seed of cultural exchanges in their heart.
The future exhibition on children's books displayed illustrated books, science popularization and literary publications to allow teenagers to share personal reading feeling and experience. Meanwhile, the public welfare exhibition featured representative works of several state-level and provincial-level intangible cultural inheritors from Jingdezhen of Jiangxi province. Ceramic-makers guided attending kids to further appreciate Chinese profound ceramic culture.
At the gathering, organizers invited children to take part in the making of traditional mugwort-hanging and 3D dragon boats as well as bless-wishing on the occasion of the Chinese Dragon-boat Festival in a move to help them further appreciate the charm of traditional Chinese customs and the aspiration for happiness and health. Moreover, attendees were also arranged to get involved in various interactive games such as AI experience camps, space-themed escape room, magic bubble show, bamboo-made pill capsule and mechanical arm challenge.
"The games in the space creation center are like manually smart activities, requiring the coordination of eyes, hands and brain. It gives me a great sense of accomplishment when I eventually overcome various challenges in the process. I am extremely delighted to celebrate the International Children's Day with my peers worldwide," said Ter? Vicente Fu, a boy from Spain, in an interview.
During the event, the Soong Ching Ling Children's Science & Technology Museum and the East District Grassland Area were bustling with activities. The "Creating the Future" exhibition, interactive reading associated with a mobile library, and the cultural experience of traditional Chinese medicine provided attending families with an opportunity to acquire new knowledge and have fun together. The participation of various challenging games like the playing of illustrated cards, House-jumping and sticky balls created a valuable chance for attending families to further strengthen parent-child relations.
In this vibrant season, Chinese and international families got together at the China Soong Ching Ling Science & Culture Center for Young People to admire traditional Chinese culture, explore scientific wonders, foster pure friendships and build bridges for cultural exchange and mutual understanding.
Since 2019, the CSCLF has organized the "Perceiving China, Shared Beauty" series of activities, taking culture as a medium to help children worldwide better understand the beauty of China, share a better life, promote spiritual communication between Chinese and foreign young children, and look forward to the future together. This year, the themed celebration event for the Dragon Boat Festival and the International Children's Day would deepen the exchanges and communications between children from China and other countries and promote the interactions and mutual learning between different civilizations.
