The delegation from the Amity Foundation traveled to Europe to conduct the European Network of Amity Partners (ENAP) meeting in Finland, as well as visit various international organizations and social service agencies in Finland, Switzerland, and Germany. These visits were particularly significant as they marked the first time the Amity Foundation had organized a delegation to Europe after three years of the pandemic. The trip served to promote communication and understanding between Amity and its European partners.
From May 29th to June 11th, a six-member delegation from the Amity Foundation, including Chairman Qiu Zhonghui and General Secretary Ling Chunxiang, embarked on this visit to Europe.
At the beginning of June, the European Network of Amity Partners (ENAP) meeting was held in Helsinki with the support of FELM (Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission), the Finnish partner of Amity. Established in 1987, the European Partner Network of Amity is one of the earliest international partner networks of the Amity Foundation. Over the years, it has provided significant support and assistance to the development of Amity and Chinese social welfare undertakings.
This was the first ENAP meeting held in person after three years of COVID-19. There were a total of 20 representatives from the Amity Foundation and 11 European social service organizations from Germany, the United Kingdom, Finland, Norway, and the Netherlands present at the event.
During the meeting, the parties analyzed and discussed cooperation in several fields, including but not limited to, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), climate change, and disability services of common international concern. They initially expressed cooperation intentions in international exchanges, environmental protection, and social services.
Chairman Qiu believed that this ENAP meeting marked a new stage of development in the relationship between the foundation and its European partners, characterized by more diversified cooperation featuring international exchanges, information and experience sharing, mutual learning, and support; moving away from the past stage where European partners supported Amity in carrying out poverty alleviation and development projects in China.
The Amity delegation paid a visit to several Finnish social organizations, including FELM (Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission), the Finnish Bible Society, and Vamos Youth Costa Rica, as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, in response to their invitation. They visited in order to become more acquainted with the social service work that these organizations do both domestically and abroad, particularly in the fields of environmental protection, assistance for young people with disabilities, and integrated education. The delegation sought to learn from the experiences and innovative approaches of the Finnish social organizations' work in these fields.
Geneva, Switzerland, was the second stop of the Amity delegation's journey. In March 2016, Amity established an international liaison office in Geneva in order to enhance cooperation and exchanges between Amity and other international organizations. As the first Chinese social organization to establish such an office, Amity has held many events and activities, such as introduction and exchange meetings for Chinese and foreign social organizations in Geneva.
During the delegation's visit to Geneva, they also visited international organizations such as the World Council of Churches (WCC), ACT Alliance, the International Volunteer Association, and the Lutheran World Federation. They aimed to gain insights into the new developments and strategies of these organizations and shared Amity's development and internationalization concepts. Additionally, consensus has been achieved on a range of topics, including international humanitarian assistance, social services, international social service exchanges, and voluntary services.
The United Nations Economic and Social Council granted Amity consultative status in 2014. In recent years, the organization has taken an active role in exploring how to participate in the activities of United Nations multilateral mechanisms.
The Amity delegation culminated their journey in Germany, where they visited several social service organizations, including Bread for the World and Mission EineWelt. Invitations to the 2023 German Kirchentag hosted in Nuremberg were extended to the delegation, and they had the opportunity to exchange ideas with the leaders of numerous collaborative organizations, gaining insights into a diverse range of social services available to individuals with disabilities and the elderly.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
