The year 2020 is an extraordinary year. It is also a year when people all over the world unite and help each other. On the International Volunteer Day, the Youth Agency of the Russian Federation launched the "We are together" online marathon to celebrate the festival with volunteers from all over the world.
On December 5, 2020, 17:00 GMT (22:00 in Beijing), the launching ceremony of “We are together” international award officially started. The China branch venue was located in the first meeting room of the administration building of Wuhan University, where representatives from Wuhan University, Wuhan University of Technology and Huazhong Agricultural University participated in this international linkage. Other branch venues were in Delhi Medical College of India, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, UNV, AVSI, etc.
The speeches by international partners were aimed at consolidating the efforts of fighting against COVID-19 among countries and promoting international humanitarian cooperation. Representatives of young volunteers from different countries introduced and shared their volunteer services during the pandemic and expressed their support for the establishment of the award.
Chen Zeng, a member of Wuhan University Youth Volunteer Association, introduced his volunteer experience during the epidemic. After the outbreak of COVID-19, they found many front line medical staff were tirelessly treating patients but couldn’t take care of their own children. Therefore, Chen Zeng and his partners set up a voluntary team and organized 1,549 volunteers to provide online tutoring, ideological guidance and companionship for 641 children of these heroes to ease their worries about their children. In addition, on behalf of volunteers at the Chinese venue, Chen Zeng thanked the international community, especially Russia, for their earnest help to our country during the pandemic. He also called on the global young volunteers to go hand in hand and share weal and woe.
Chen Zeng is giving his speech
Zeng Xizi, a volunteer representative from Wuhan University of Technology, shared her volunteer service story with all participants. She and her partners were the first group of graduate students who returned to the aid-education positions nationwide. Adhering to the belief of dedication, friendship, mutual help and progress, they did every item of their work well, such as checking students’ body temperature, registering students’ travel trajectory, doing home visits and so on. Even though the work was tough, the identity of youth volunteers motivated them to persevere.
Zeng Xizi is sharing her story
The Russian volunteers expressed their gratitude to the Chinese young volunteers and said that the sharing of Chinese volunteers' experience would be an important inspiration for their own volunteer service. They hoped that all the volunteers could unite to carry out in-depth volunteer service and cope with difficulties and challenges together.
The launching ceremony of "We are together" international award ended with great applause. It was not only a successful discussion of volunteer services during the pandemic, but also the promotion and dissemination of Chinese volunteer spirit. Dedication, friendship, mutual help and progress represent the common voice of volunteers. Let’s join hands to build a community of shared future for mankind and create a beautiful new world!
The photo of all participants of the China branch venue
Rewritten by Li Tiantian
Edited by Qin Shihan and Hu Sijia
