At the Invitation of the Prospective and Innovation Foundation, Vice President Hu Sishe led a four-people CPAFFC delegation to France from September 19th to 22nd , to attend the Special Sino-French Forum held on the International Day of Peace (September 21st) at the UNESCO’s headquarter in Paris.
Under the theme of “One Hundred Years After the First World War, What Lesson Can We Draw for Humanity?”, the Forum is jointly hosted by 11 organizations including CPAFFC, the Prospective and Innovation Foundation. Charles de Gaulle Foundation, the Association of Wu Jianmin’s Friends and the Charhar Institute. It is aimed to commemorate the spirit of sacrifice of the Chinese laborers who went to France during the First World War, remember history and advocate peace in this centenary year of the end of World War I. Mr. Jean-Pierre Raffarin, former French Prime Minister and President of the Prospective and Innovation Foundation, Mr. Qu Xing, Deputy Director-General of UNESCO, Mr. Joseph Zimet, Director of the French First World War Centenary Partnership Program, Mr. Hubert Védrine, former French Foreign Minister, Mr. Shen Yang, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the People’s Republic of China to UNESCO, and many other Chinese as well as foreign guests attended the Forum. In his speech at the opening ceremony, Vice President Hu Sishe pointed out that it was of great significance on this special day of International Day of Peace to recall the memories of Chinese laborers in the First World War. “An important point to eliminate war is to clear the misunderstandings, prejudice and hatred among different cultures, races, beliefs and languages to strengthen people-to-people ties.” After the conference, Vice President Hu Sishe received an exclusive interview from CCTV-Fran?ais. In the evening of the same day, a Sino-French Peace Dinner was held in the name of CPAFFC. Guests including Mr. Qu Xing, Deputy Director-General of UNESCO, Mr. Jacques Godfrain, President of the Charles de Gaulle Foundation, and Mr. Zhao Bin, Minister-Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in France attended. CPAFFC delegation has actively communicated with both Chinese and foreign representatives, introduced the Association and its activities, and cordially invited the foreign guests to participate in our 2018 China International Friendship Cities Conference in November.
During the visit, the delegation attended the unveiling ceremony of the statue of Chinese laborers at the Gare de Lyon railway station in Paris. Mr. Zhai Jun, the Chinese Ambassador to France, Mr. Jean Bernard Bros, Deputy Mayor of Paris and Special Representative of the Mayor of Paris, Mr. Buon Tan, President of France-China Friendship Group at the French National Assembly, Ms. Catherine Baratti-Elbaz, Mayor of the 12th Arrondissement of Paris, Mr. Li Xiaochao, Chinese sculptor, and over 200 overseas Chinese as well as local citizens witnessed this important moment. Besides, the delegation also paid a visit to UNESCO, Charles de Gaulle Foundation and the Permanent Delegation of China to UNESCO, and exchanged views on further strengthening contact and cooperation.
