By Yin Miao from People’s Daily
New York (People’s Daily) – The exhibition “Better Life, Dream Come True – Poverty Alleviation in China” opened Thursday at United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York City, marking the first time China as ever held an exhibition featuring poverty-related content on a multilateral stage.
UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Muhammad, and Vice Minister of the Central Propaganda Department, Sun Zhijun, along with China’s Permanent UN Representative Ma Zhaoxu, delivered speeches during the opening ceremony. Representatives from relevant UN agencies, along with foreign officials were also in attendance.
Through photos, video clips and texts, the exhibition tells the story of China’s poverty relief efforts. President Xi Jinping’s thoughts on poverty alleviation are laid out for the world to enjoy.
“Over the past decades, China has solved the problems of providing food and clothing for more than 1.3 billion people, helping some 800 million impoverished Chinese, a number 70 percent greater than the total number of poverty-stricken people worldwide,” said Sun Zhijun.
Sun said he hoped the exhibition would inspire other countries to learn more about China’s poverty reduction methods and help build a consensus global poverty reduction.
During Muhammed’s address she emphasized that “As a long-term partner of China’s in poverty reduction efforts, the UN will continue to cooperate with the Chinese government and people in this important area and strengthen support for other developing countries through strategic South-South cooperation. She also said that the United Nations welcomes the exhibition and continues to share China’s experience and practices, contributing to the liberation of all forms of poverty in all parts of the world.”
Ma said that China’s poverty alleviation and development is an important part of the global poverty solution and it has also received long-term support from the United Nations Development Program, UNICEF and UNFPA. China will continue to work with relevant UN agencies, especially developing countries, to promote international poverty reduction cooperation and contribute Chinese wisdom to international poverty reduction.
It is believed that through this poverty alleviation exhibition, it will help the United Nations community and the general membership to further understand China’s poverty alleviation achievements and experiences, and will further deepen the cooperation between China and the United Nations in the field of poverty alleviation, according to Ma.
“The ability to lift so many out of poverty in such a short period of time, not only to get rid of income poverty but also other forms of impoverishment, only makes them even better,” said Megan Gilgen, UNICEF deputy director.
As a result of having multiple incomes people now have access to education and medical care, an example everyone could learn from.
Dominican Republic UN Ambassador Loreen Ruth Barnes-Roberts said China’s poverty alleviation efforts are highly commendable.
“We don’t need to reinvent new ways to get rid of poverty. We can achieve our goals by emulating or learning from China’s successful practices and experiences in poverty reduction,” Barnes-Roberts said.
