Mrs. Xu Guanju，Chairman of Australia Soong Ching Ling Foundation

Australia Soong Ching Ling Foundation founded in January, 2004. The theme of the foundation is to develop and promote the cause of cultural exchange, educational exchange of women and children between China and Australia. In order to expand the influence of Australia Soong Ching Ling Foundation, we first raised fund and invited the CWI Children’s Palace Little Companion Art troupe to give performance in Australia for congratulating the establishment of Australia Soong Ching Ling Foundation.

We did everything from Zero, every director not only burden the expense, but also act as the volunteer. We visited the cities all over Australia, contributed money, and did everything for the successful birth of Australia Soong Ching Ling Foundation.

The excellent performances of Shanghai Little Companion Art troupe led by Mr. Ai Bai Ying, Secretary-General of CWI, made a stir in Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne shook the local inhabitants and overseas Chinese. I can not express my feeling in words until now. Although the children had been in Australia only for a short time, but the sympathy was for long time. This is a kind of feeling, also is a heart knot, the relative feeling to our motherland, and the heart knot of the love to China. This is a beautiful memory during our whole life. The Little Companion’s excellent performance, healthy spirit, and also the devotion spirit to children educational causes from troupe leader to teachers deeply impressed all of us. Every director attended this activity burst into tears when Little Companion Art troupe left. Little companions brought the friendship, the relative feeling, also the greeting and silent support from China Welfare Institute and Shanghai Soong Ching Ling Foundation. The hearts of overseas Chinese nearer to China, the love and miss of motherland is deeper. No doubt, every director who attended the first activity organized by ASCLF was excited, joyful and be proud, we have an emotion in our hearts, we will try our best to expand the ASCLF’s influence in Australia, do something under the theme of our foundation.

The second since the establishment of foundation, Mr. William J. W, Yu, vice chairman of ASCLF successfully organized 2005 Sydney International Children’s Cultural and Art Festival. There were more than 800 children came from different countries and nations gathered in famous Sydney Opera House in July, different kinds of dances display the peace and friendship, exchange children’s cultural art. The preparation of the festival is very hard, they need publicity and a lot of volunteers, but they have no fund. At last, the festival closed successfully. Mr. William Yu phoned me after he saw the last troupe left, he told me that we succeeded, so many troupes, and we have no fault, the festival closed successfully. I were moved, the only word I can say is Congratulation!

We develop and promote children’s cultural and art exchange, at the same time; we develop the preschool educational project with CWI. The emphasis of the project is training the preschool teacher troupe and promotes the preschool academic exchange. Madam Soong Ching Ling said: cultivating children can not be waiting. The part of preschool for a child is very important during his or her life. Australia Soong Ching Ling Foundation helped to arrange the preschool teachers visiting the preschool department of Melbourne University, Canberra University and Queensland University, talking with the Australian preschool teachers and exchanging the work experience. Also we arranged nearly 40 directors of kindergartens of Shanghai have training in Melbourne University, having the academic exchange on theory and practice in the preschool field. The preschool teachers of two countries exchange minds on different topics and promote their friendship. Those projects are welcomed by two sides, ASCLF acted as a bridge for promoting the educational exchange between two countries. We also helped to introduce the children education of China to Australia teachers, helped more than 40 teachers or students visiting and studying in China. We do a lot of work have no pay, also this work occupy our time and energy, but we have the relative feeling, friendship and achievement from the work, that can not by paid by money.

We can not do everything perfect when we develop projects, but every director of our foundation are thinking and working very hard. Madam Soong Ching Ling dedicate her whole life to the cause of the welfare for women and children, she is our model forever. In order to expand the influence of ASCLF, we actively attended the celebration party of National Day and Spring Festival with the other overseas Chinese organization. Our directors are distributed in Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra, everyone try his or her best to organize persons to attend the celebration parties. Mrs. Ruan Yi Wu, Vice Chinaman, is a social activist, she organized the activities for women and children warm heartedly, also publicize the activity on newspaper in the name of ASCLF. In Canberra, the capital of Australia, one of our directors, Mrs. Li Yu Qiu is a patient with cancer. She delivered the tickets to overseas Chinese’s home, raised funds, in order to let more persons to attend the Spring Festival celebration organized by overseas Chinese organizations and have the chance to watch the performances by the first level troupe from China. ASCLF is the best of all the overseas Chinese organizations which organized activities, this help us to expand our social influence.

Recall those days that we preparing to set up Australia Soong Ching Ling Foundation, Mrs. Ruan Yi Wu, Mr. William J. W. Yu and I as the sponsor of preparatory group, we are excited. Madam Soong Ching Ling is a world famous lady, she dedicate to the welfare cause for women and children, was held in esteem by people. It is our sacred duty to establish a foundation named after Soong Ching Ling. To establish Soong Ching Ling Foundation should be different from the other organizations, it should have our own goal and purpose. Now we have already enjoyed the glad that the work brought to us, felt the relative feeling, friendship and responsibility, much more deeply understand the meaning of our work since the establishment of ASCLF. We are grate to Shanghai Soong Ching Ling Foundation for its help and encouragement. We are grate to Mr. Ai Bai Ying, Deputy Chairman of Shanghai Soong Ching Ling Foundation, Secretary-General of CWI, for he himself led Little Companion Art troupe visit Australia twice, one for congratulating the establishment of our foundation, the other for International Children’s Cultural and Art Festival. Also we are grate for Mr. Zheng Zheng Wen, Vice secretary-general of SSCLF, for his constant contact and direction. And for Mrs. Chen Bai Hua, Vice secretary-general of SSCLF, she is our model for her dedication to children’s art and keep improving spirit.

As the chairman of ASCLF, I think we should sum up the finished work, think about the more clearer goal of future work, especially how to mobilize more warm hearted personnel to join us or attend our activity giving us more support, dedicate to the welfare cause for women and children. We will try our best!