Qiu Zhonghui, vice president of the board and general secretary of the Amity Foundation, addresses a speech entitled "Advocacy in Service and Harmonious Development" in the 2016 International Conference of Religions and Sustainable Development on Dec 12, 2016, Nanjing.
He claims that the birth of Amity was considered as a critical incident in the transformation of Chinese churches from "Three-self" (self-governance, self-support, and self-propagation) to "Three-Good" (better governance, support, and propagation).
Qiu states that the Foundation that has been rooted in China has fitted in with the development of Chinese society as a religious charity. During the past over three decades, it learned experiences from overseas Christian institutions and carried out projects covering education, helping the disabled and rural development in East China in the first stage; then it launched poverty relief and comprehensive development projects in national poverty counties in the second phase; in the third stage it worked in the areas of urban community management and service, home-based care for the aged and developing social organizations in communities as well as social enterprises, meanwhile exploring the development approaches of religious charities and propagandizing fundraising at home. Besides, it has initiated the African office in Ethiopia the international office in Geneva.
Founded at the beginning of the reform and opening up and growing in the process of the reform deepening, Amity has taken its root in the communities in Chinese cities and countryside, providing service to the needed. Putting people first, the charitable organization respects ideas of experts and suggestions from the benefited people, coupled with stressing on the capability for self-improvement of the benefited community. Meanwhile, it promotes the development of religious charities, advocates and spreads the vision of "Charity by All."
He adds that the significance of the Amity's work represents not only in playing a social role as a charity but also being regarded as the adaptation to society as a religious charity in China.
At the same time, based on the principle of respect each other's belief, the organization that consists of people of all circles has committed to social development, leading the way to diversified development in society.
Translated by: Karen Luo
