Wen Jiabao Attends Opening Ceremony of 3rd China-Africa Youth Festival in Beijing

On August 14th, 2009, the opening ceremony of the 3rd China-Africa Youth Festival & the Departure Ceremony of the Chinese Youth Volunteers Assisting Africa were held in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Over 750 participants, including the youth representatives of 49 African countries, the diplomatic envoys of African countries in China and the youth representatives from all walks of life in China, gathered together to celebrate the China-Africa friendship.

At 4:20 p.m. the gathering started. Amid the beautiful melody of Jasmine performed by the Chinese youth choir, Premier Wen entered the hall. He shook hands cordially with the young representatives from China and Africa, and the audience burst into warm applause.

Delivering a speech, Wen extended congratulations on behalf of the Chinese government to the opening of the festival as well as welcome to the young African representatives coming from afar. He said that China and Africa have shared sympathy, extended mutual support, worked hard in unity, forged a profound friendship and stood the severe challenges of various types over the past 50 years. Mutual respect and equal treatment are the cores of China-Africa friendship. He expressed hope that the Chinese and African youth could learn from each other in a modest and prudent manner, treat differences in an open and accommodating attitude, look for the sake of others, help friends sincerely, face the future, meet difficulties head-on, explore courageously and contribute to the building of a new-type China-Africa strategic partnership with their own wisdom and strength.

He encouraged the young Chinese volunteers leaving for Africa to serve the African people with knowledge and skills in order to gain friendship and trust and at the same time to learn from the African people with an open mind, broaden horizon, cultivate character and enhance competence.

He sent the message to the young Chinese and Africans that youth are the hope of a nation. They are the future of China-Africa friendship. They shoulder this historic mission and should jointly create a better tomorrow through consistent efforts.

He then presented the flag to the Chinese youth volunteers departing soon. The volunteers collectively swore to play their part to strengthen the China-Africa friendship, serve Africa's development and build a harmonious world.

Lu Hao, first secretary of the Secretariat of the Communist Youth League of China (CYLC) Central Committee, chaired the ceremony. Lu Yongzheng, vice-president of the All-China Youth Federation (ACYF), and Nolama Ta Ama, head of the African diplomatic missions and Togolese ambassador to China delivered speeches respectively.

The China-Africa Youth Festival was initiated by Wen Jiabao at the second Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in 2003. Hosted by the ACYF, the festival has become a major platform of promoting exchanges between the youth of China and Africa and the China-Africa friendship as well.

At the 2006 Beijing Summit of FOCAC, the Chinese government decided to send 300 youth volunteers to deliver services to Africa in the fields of medical care, agriculture, sports, arts and Chinese language teaching over the following three years.