The opening ceremony for the Women’s Participation in Public Service training session was heldbyChina Women's University (CWU)in Beijingon July 19.

Mu Hong,directorof the InternationalLiaisonDepartment of the All-China Women's Federation(ACWF),attended the event and delivered a speech. CWU President Liu Liqundeliveredan openingspeech.

In attendance were Kumba Alice Momoh,Ministerof the Sierra LeoneEmbassy in China;Wenchi Yu,Asia Pacifichead for Corporate Engagement, Goldman Sachs; Beth Bader, director ofthe University of Chicago Center in Beijing; Song Jian,vicedirectorofthe InternationalLiaisonDepartment of the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation, and dozens of other international and domestic experts and scholars.

Dr. Rangita de Silva de Alwis, formerlyresponsible for"women’s in public service" program ofthe U.S. Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, and Susan Jolly, program officerof theBeijingOffice of the Ford Foundation,sent video messages.

Liu Meng,Vice president of CWUpresided over the ceremony. Sixty female college studentsandteachersfrom sevenwomen'scollegesacross the countryand relevantofficialsof CWU participated in the event.

Mu warmly congratulated organizers of the training class on behalf of the ACWF and the International Liaison Department. She pointed out that "women’s participation in public service" project is one of the important activities for women’s exchanges under the framework ofChina-US High Level Consulation on People-to-People Exchange.

Mu said she believes that the training class has opened a window and built a bridge for students to learn new ideas and knowledge, and has brought new thinking and powerful impetus for them to better serve society and encourage development.

President Liu Liqun warmly welcomed all the students on behalf of CWU, and thanked them for their care and support, also for relevant institutions, organizations and women's colleges. She said that CWU attaches great importance to the training course, carefully arranges the teaching content, and provides a thoughtful service. She hopes that every student can learn to think, improve their gender awareness and leadership, and promote the full improvement of China women's participation in public services.

Momoh, Yu and Bader expressed their congratulations and shared their own personal growth and successful experiences in “women’s participation in public service”.

TwentyCWU students participateinthe class. The other 40 studentsarefrom Hunan Women's University, Shandong Women'sUniversity, Ginling College of Nanjing Normal University, Women's College of Tongji University, Women's College of Shanghai Normal University, and Guangdong Women’sPolytechnicCollege. They will deepen exchanges, promote friendships and grow together through this platform, organizers hope.