A SPEECH ON OPENING CEREMONY OF THE WINTER-CAMP

Ms. Ma Hongmei

Deputy Director of Yunnan Provincial Youth League Committee

Director of Yunnan Provincial Juvenile's Working Committee

February 10th, 2003 （ Monday ）

Dear Guests, Parents and Little Friends,

First of all, I would like to express my whole-hearted congratulations on and warmly welcome to all the campers on behalf of the Youth League and the Juvenile Working Committee of Yunnan Province.

In order to meet the requirement of the 16th National Conference of CPC, and the grand aim to build up a well-off society all over China, according to the working plan of National Juvenile Working Committee, with the theme of “Realizing the Blueprint, and get ready for the future”, a group of good students from Kunming, organized by Yunnan EcoNework, the Juvenile Working Committee of Yunnan Province as well as other relevant organizations, will enjoy the “hand-in-hand” program together with those of in the city of Lijiang during the winter holiday, which includes search for the minority cultures, bird watching on the site of Wet Land and the outdoor physical excises as well. All these activities will be helpful for the children to be conscious of those with the same age who live in the poverty-stricken rural areas, and aware of the nature and ecology. At the same time, it will build up their will both physically and mentally, and they will be influenced by the concept of Sustainable Development as time goes by. Through these activities, they will be trained as good children at home, good students at school, good juvenile in the society, good friends to the nature and good citizens with highly responsibilities in future.

It is our aim that the children will be trained to be aware of real life outside the class, and this is one of the priorities we are facing today. It is the important means for the organization of juveniles to carry out the policy of quality education and learn through experiences, it proves as an effective way for the children to develop their high quality and form the good habits as well. The quality education is always put in the first place in its work. The Juvenile Working Committee of Yunnan Province has obtained lots of successful experience in this field. As a basic idea of this program, Feeling and thinking is carried out in the activities. It will help children develop a healthy character, and turn it into good behave in the future. This is a kind of human socialized process from ethical perceives and emotional sublimation to ethical practice. The children will get experiences with their own view and others' position from many aspects, such as Man and Man, Man and Society, Man and Nature, Man and Self-hood, with the purpose to touch their souls by education and turn them into practice in the end. This will lay a foundation for them to develop their good habits in the future.

The activity of Winter camping is a kind of good carrier for awareness of education through one's experience, At the same time, it is beneficial for the children to develop their ability of coordination, social existence as well as their team concept, and it is beneficial to develop their qualities both mentally and physically. It is a good way to develop their personalities and their strong suits, just to ensure them to follow a healthy way of life. I am happy that parents and people of different circles have realized the importance of Quality Education, and to take part in this program positively. On behalf of Yunnan Provincial Juvenile Working Committee, I would like to express my thanks to parents for your understanding, to people of different circles for your support and help.

If we take life as four seasons in a year, the life of children in the stage between primary and middle school can be regarded as spring, which symbols the start of life. A good beginning will give children a beautiful life in return. Let's make a joint effort for the realization of this goal.

At last, my great thanks to British Environment Development Funds for the financial support, to Yunnan EcoNetwork for the great efforts made to the Winter-camping program as well as to friends from the news media.