The 2022 BRICS Women's Leadership Forum, including the BRICS Women Innovation Contest award ceremony, was held in Beijing on May 31. Shen Yueyue, Vice-Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and President of the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), attended the opening ceremony and presented awards to winners of the contest.

Shen delivered a speech during the forum. She said, under the significant proposal raised by Chinese President Xi Jinping, and given the importance Xi had attached to this event, the BRICS Women Innovation Contest became an important platform for advancing women's participation in industrial and commercial cooperation among BRICS (refers to Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). At present, Shen noted, and in the face of the intertwined impact of major changes in the world and the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, both unseen in a century, she hoped women of BRICS will implement the consensus reached by State leaders and make new contributions to enhance people's friendly relations and advance economic and social progress.

Shen said people must be put above all else, and BRICS member countries should help lift women out of the COVID-19 pandemic's impacts. She added priority must be given to women's development, and their entrepreneurship and innovation must be supported. She said women must learn from each other, help deepen unity and cooperation among BRICS, and continue making efforts to build a community with a shared future for mankind.

The event was held under the guidance of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the China Chamber of International Commerce, with ACWF's support. It was sponsored by the China Council of the BRICS Women's Business Alliance. The contest attracted 449 participants. The Mulan Award was presented to 15 candidates as part of the BRICS Women Innovation Contest. The Special Contribution Award was presented to five entrants, in recognition of their efforts to prevent and control COVID-19.

Diplomats from the four BRICS member countries' embassies in China, representatives from the political and commercial fields, and winners of the awards attended, either online or offline.

(Women of China English Monthly)