Third Silk Road Friendship Ceremony hosted in Beijing

The third Silk Road Friendship Ceremony is held in Beijing on Dec. 27, 2023. (Photo provided to People’s Daily Online)

The third Silk Road Friendship Ceremony was held in Beijing on Dec. 27. Twelve individuals received the honorary title of "Ambassador of Silk Road Friendship”.

The 12 individuals come from countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, North America and South America, and were engaged in various sectors such as politics, economy, culture, education and healthcare.

Their stories fully mirror the benefits brought by the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to participating countries, as well as the sense of fulfilment, happiness and security generated by the initiative for people in these countries.

The event, themed "Telling the stories of Belt and Road constructors," was co-hosted by the China International Culture Exchange Center (CICEC) and the Global People magazine run by People's Daily, and assisted by China International Culture & Arts Co., Ltd.

Yang Chuantang, vice chairman of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Chairman of the CICEC, Hu Guo, vice president of People's Daily, and vice chairmen of the CICEC Li Baodong, He Jianzhong and Xu Lirong attended the event.

The ceremony was also attended by more than 300 people including diplomatic envoys from nearly 10 countries in China, as well as friendly people from home and abroad who closely follow the progress of Belt and Road cooperation.

He Jianzhong, vice chairman of the CICEC, delivers a speech at the ceremony. (Photo provided to People’s Daily Online)

Freda Korarome, an Ambassador of Silk Road Friendship from Papua New Guinea, came to China in 2020 to learn Juncao planting techniques. Juncao literally means "mushroom" and "grass," and can be used, as its name suggests, to grow edible mushrooms.

She later brought this technology back to her country, and today, her Juncao farm produces 200 kilograms of fresh mushrooms per week, making her a renowned rural entrepreneur.

The Chinese technology has been promoted in several surrounding villages, and Juncao is now called the "grass of happiness" by the locals.

Freda Korarome receives her award at the ceremony. (Photo provided to People’s Daily Online)

Currently, the Juncao technology has become one of the important public goods that China provides to the international community, and is used in over 100 countries and regions.

"I am deeply grateful for the BRI, which has changed my life and transformed our country," Korarome said at the ceremony.

Attendees were touched by the story of Alifa Chin, a 13-year-old Bangladeshi girl who won the Ambassador of Silk Road Friendship title.

In 2010, the Chinese naval hospital ship Peace Ark went to Bangladesh to provide free medical services. Sheng Ruifang, an anesthesiologist on the ship, helped save a pregnant woman with heart problems and a high-risk pregnancy. Despite the challenges, Sheng and her colleagues performed surgery and successfully saved both the woman and her baby. The family named the baby Chin, which means "China" in Bengali.

Alifa Chin speaks during the ceremony via video link. (Photo provided to People’s Daily Online)

Lyu Hong (right), editor-in-chief of Global People magazine, presents the award to Sheng Ruifang. (Photo provided to People’s Daily Online)

Today, Alifa Chin dreams of becoming an envoy of friendship between China and Bangladesh. She wants to study medicine in China and save lives, just like her "Chinese mom" Sheng.

Eight years ago, Abderrahmane Salem became involved in building a "Green Great Wall" in Mauritania, which was inspired by China's successful Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program. Today, lush green trees stretch along the southern edge of the Sahara Desert, turning this once sandy area into a haven for plants and animals.

In 2023, Salem made two visits to China to learn advanced techniques for combating desertification. He was amazed by China's achievements in this field, saying he wanted to bring them back to Mauritania.

The cooperation between China and Africa in fighting desertification has brought Chinese and Africans closer. Together, the two peoples are working towards a harmonious future in which mankind and nature coexist.

Ammar Al-Baadani from Yemen has been living in China for 27 years. When he was 13, his father's illness was cured by Chinese doctors using acupuncture, which inspired him to pursue a medical education in China.

Ammar Al-Baadani speaks at the ceremony. (Photo provided to People’s Daily Online)

He came to China in 1996 and earned his doctoral degree from Zhejiang University in 2013. Later, he became a doctor at the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine in Yiwu, Zhejiang Province.

In 2015, he co-founded a Silk Road cultural club with friends from Belt and Road participating countries, aiming to promote Chinese culture among foreigners.

"I have witnessed China's development and the launch of the BRI. The best moments of my life have been spent in China," said Baadani.

Manuel Torres Salazar speaks during the ceremony via video link. (Photo provided to People’s Daily Online)

Manuel Torres Salazar came to Shanghai from Spain 12 years ago and decided to make China his home. As a member of the Belt and Road International Lawyers Association, he resolves legal disputes between China and Latin American countries, thus promoting economic and trade exchanges between the two sides.

He has helped Chinese companies open mines, build bridges, and build roads in countries such as Chile, Venezuela, and Colombia. By introducing Chinese technologies and ideas, he has showcased Chinese wisdom and diligence. Thanks to Salazar's assistance, many foreign enterprises have secured funding in China and expanded their markets.

Irene Pivetti, President of the Italy-China Friendship Association, has been devoted to promoting economic and cultural exchanges between East and West over the years. She is a renowned figure in European politics who has achieved many "firsts."

Yang Chuantang (right), vice chairman of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Chairman of the CICEC, presents award to Irene Pivetti. (Photo provided to People’s Daily Online)

Pivetti once served as an economic advisor in various Chinese cities and played a crucial role in launching the China-Europe freight train between Chengdu and Milan. She has also assisted Chinese delegations visiting Italy, fostering collaboration between businesses from both countries.

Pivetti believes that cooperation with China should be a top priority for the European Union. She genuinely hopes that the BRI will continue to make valuable contributions to the international community.

Other winners of the Ambassador of Silk Road Friendship title include Doudou Diène from Senegal, who has made important contributions to Silk Road studies, Brazilian Ricardo Abranches Felix Cardoso Junior from State Grid Brazil Holding, who played an important role in China-Brazil power cooperation, Chinese Russian Fenlan Khu, who established the Shanghai Cooperation Organization's Leaders with Aspiration and Respect for one another, Mark Levine, a teacher from the United States who has composed 80 folk songs about China, and Sheradil Baktygulov from Kyrgyzstan, who has hosted a number of academic activities on the BRI and the promotion of China-Kyrgyzstan relations.

Doudou Diène speaks during the ceremony via video link. (Photo provided to People’s Daily Online)

Ricardo Abranches Felix Cardoso Junior (left) receives his award at the ceremony.  (Photo provided to People’s Daily Online)

Fenlan Khu speaks at the ceremony.  (Photo provided to People’s Daily Online)

Mark Levine performs a song at the ceremony.  (Photo provided to People’s Daily Online)

Sheradil Baktygulov (right) receives his award at the ceremony. (Photo provided to People’s Daily Online)

During the ceremony, two programs on Silk Road health cooperation and youth entrepreneurship were inaugurated.

The Ambassadors of Silk Road Friendship believe that the BRI will once again write a new chapter as it pursues common development, universal security, and everlasting friendship, which mirrors the confidence of people in Belt and Road participating countries in the next golden decade of BRI.

It is believed that more Ambassadors of Silk Road Friendship will emerge to promote people-to-people ties along the Belt and Road and tell the stories of the Silk Road.