September 14th, 2016

(From news.sohu.com) On August 24, Mr. Xiao Wunan, Executive Vice Chairman of the Asia Pacific Exchange & Cooperation Foundation, at the invitation of several U.N. Institutions, the California government and relevant institutions, visited New York and Los Angeles, gaining fruitful results regarding how to promote and strengthen cultural exchanges between China and the rest of the world in the framework of the United Nations, and creating a normal mechanism for Sino-U.S. cultural exchanges.

During the visit to the United Nations, Mr. Gilberto Flores, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Alfredo Jefferson, representative to the Executive Board of UNDP, held several meetings with Mr. Xiao Wunan and reached a strategic agreement regarding how to promote cooperation among the United Nations, UNDP and APECF. Meanwhile, they reached a consensus on promoting comprehensive cooperation between APECF and South America, especially promoting dialogue and exchanges between Chinese and Inca civilizations. This has far-reaching significance for promoting world peace and resolving world crises. They decided to hold a dialogue event, coordinated by the United Nations, between Chinese and Inca civilizations at UN headquarters in New York at an appropriate time next year.

On August 25, Mr. Xiao Wunan was invited to attend the 13th Annual International Human Rights Summit 2016. Many representatives to the United Nations and senior UN officials attended the opening ceremony, including Ms. Laura Flores of the Permanent Mission of Panama to the United Nations, Mr. Omar Castaneda, Deputy Permanent Representative of Guatemala to the United Nations, Ambassador Irenee Omositson Namboka, former United Nations Human Rights Protection Adviser. Mr. Xiao Wunan delivered a keynote speech in which he said that in the face of global terrorism, how to protect the human rights of youths is an important responsibility of the United Nations. Equally important is the question of how to use Eastern wisdom to demonstrate new ideas and solutions to resolve many problems that trouble young people such as the protection of their right to existence and the development of young people. At the same time, Mr. Xiao Wunan also introduced some endeavors by APECF for the youth, such as in 2012, under the participation of the United Nations Habitat, UNDP and the United Nations Economic and Social Council, APECF held the 2nd International Student Design Competition to successfully merge youth development and the aging problem, winning extensive praise. And it opened up a new world for young people to participate in the construction of human settlements, which is “new idea for the city development - human habitation” . This idea was regarded as a component of the Millennium Development Goals during a High-Level Working Session at the United Nations headquarters in New York in 2012, and was promoted to the world. In 2013, under the support of the United Nations, APECF cooperated with Renmin University of China to hold the opening ceremony of the ”UN and China: A Cinematic Journey”, which was hailed as the most successful youth exchange activity in the history of the United Nations. In September 2015, during the UN High Level Forum on the Culture of Peace, a series of events “To Promote World Peace through Dialogue among Civilizations” initiated by APECF advocated the participation and role of young people. This event was incorporated into the Post-2015 Development Agenda. Later, during a meeting with Ms. Dianne Davis, Founding President of the International Council for Caring Communities (ICCC), both sides agreed to hold a roundtable meeting next May in London, regarding topics including the combination of youth development and modern information.

During the visit to Los Angeles, the APECF delegation had a working meeting at the China Culture Center (USA) (mainly founded by APECF). The delegation had a warm discussions on strengthening the establishment of a normal mechanism for cultural exchanges between China and the United States, using the China Culture Center (USA) as carrier to comprehensively and systematically spread Chinese culture, including holding a “Chinese Innovative Culture Expo”, introducing large American electric music to China, strengthening cooperation between Hollywood and China on movies, tourism and theme parks, and applying the platform of HTTV to create a series of programs to display traditional Chinese culture.

During the U.S. visit, Mr. Xiao Wunan had extensive contacts with American dignitaries from all walks of life, including Ms. Marina Tse, former U.S. Deputy Education Secretary, Mr. Richard Anderson, an important member of the Oscar Committee, Mr. Robert Thurman, a famous Tibetologist of Columbia University, Mr. Robert, former Vice Chairman of JP Morgan. They reached broad consensuses on how to promote Sino-U.S. trade and cultural exchanges.

The Asia Pacific Exchange & Cooperation Foundation has been committed to exchanges and cooperation between China and the United Nations, the United States and international communities, achieving fruitful results and receiving high praise from the United Nations, governments of different countries and the federal government of the United States. We believe that through this visit, APECF will continue to play a constructive role in further promoting various work including cultural exchanges.