Shen Yueyue, President of the All-China Women's Federation, attends an activity to mark the International Children's Day at the China National Children's Center on June 1. [China Women's News/Yang Rui]

An activity to mark the International Children's Day and the opening ceremony of the China Forum on Children's Development in 2020 were held at the China National Children's Center on June 1. 

Shen Yueyue, President of the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), Huang Xiaowei, Secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group of the ACWF and Vice-President and First Member of the Secretariat of the ACWF, Li Wei, Director of the Committee of Population, Resources and Environment of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and Wang Anshun, Deputy Director of the Development Research Center of the State Council, attended the activity.

During the event, the leaders attended a flag-raising ceremony and extended festival greetings to the participating children. 

When hearing that the children said that General Secretary Xi Jinping's greetings are the best holiday gifts they have ever received, the leaders encouraged them to keep Xi Jinping's words firmly in mind, study hard, firm up their ideals and convictions and develop strong bodies and minds to prepare for realizing the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.

"Your parents are warriors and you are also little warriors. I hope that you will learn from your parents and try to be good children of the motherland and the people," Shen said to the children of the frontline medical workers in the fight against novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Noting that the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core attaches great importance to and shows great care for children, Shen said China has made historic achievements in children's development. The children's health has been effectively safeguarded since the epidemic outbreak, which fully demonstrates the principle that nothing matters more than the people's lives and the remarkable advantages of the strong leadership of the CPC and the socialist system.

The Government Work Report approved at the just concluded sessions of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) and the 13th National Committee of the CPPCC, and the newly-issued civil code provide a strong guarantee for the healthy growth of children, Shen continued.

Shen Yueyue, President of the All-China Women's Federation, attends an activity to mark the International Children's Day at the China National Children's Center on June 1. [China Women's News/Yang Rui]

Shen stressed that fostering a new generation capable of shouldering the mission of national rejuvenation is critical to long-term interests. She urged more attention to be paid to family, family education and traditions and called for greater contributions to the healthy growth and all-round development of children.

Shen also noted the necessity of keeping a firm hold of the fundamental task of China's education system, and of forming a government-led work pattern of children's cause, which is under the leadership of the Party committees and with people's organizations and social forces involved in, so as to create better conditions for children's growth.

Shen said the principle of fostering children through moral education should be adhered to and efforts should be made to guide children to learn more about China's strength, spirit and efficiency in the anti-virus battle, and help them develop good mindset, virtues and habits.

Enhanced efforts should be made to improve and implement the policy and system of giving priority to children's development and promoting their all-round development, build a system of family education guidance services that covers both urban and rural families, and form a strong network in which multiple departments work together to protect the legitimate rights and interests of children, in a bid to promote the coordinated development of the children's cause and the economy and society.

The activity to mark the International Children's Day included three sections: "We Love the Motherland," "We Are Together" and " Family Happiness and Well-being," with the themes of "patriotism" and "blessings." It called on all sectors of society to create a friendlier and warmer supportive environment for children, and encouraged children and their families to adopt healthy and green lifestyles.

The China Forum on Children's Development in 2020 focused on social care and children's growth in the epidemic situation, discussing such topics as children's health, education, welfare and social environment from the perspectives of teacher-parent education, social support and self-empowerment. It also brought together relevant departments, experts, scholars and social forces to offer intellectual support to children's work in the regular epidemic prevention and control.

Shen Yueyue, President of the All-China Women's Federation, delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the China Forum on Children's Development in 2020 on June 1. [China Women's News/Yang Rui]

(Women of China)