Mme. Nicole Ameline, Member of the French
Cabinet, Minister Delegate of Social Affairs,
Labor and Solidarity met the visiting Chinese
Women's Delegation on March 26, 2003. Mme. Zhao
Shaohua, head of the delegation, Member of the
Secretariat of ACWF sent her an article of bronze
horse as a present, and wished that the gender
equality careers in France would get more achievements.
The First Chinese Women's Day was held on
March 21, 2003 in Quimper. Mme. Zhao Shaohua,
Member of the Secretariat of ACWF, Mr. Alain
Gerard, Mayor of Quimper, and Mme. Shi Yanhua,
wife of the Chinese Ambassador to France cut
the ribbon at the opening ceremony.
At the invitation of the French Women's Rights
and Equality Service, a three-member Chinese women's
delegation, led by Zhao Shaohua, Member of ACWF's
Secretariat, visited France from March 21 to 28,
2003. It was the first time since the mid-1980s
that a French women's department invited a Chinese
women's delegation to visit the country. Last
year, the director of the French Women's Rights
and Equality Service visited China. The reciprocal
visits marked the further strengthening of exchanges
between the ACWF and French women's agencies.
Nicole Amelire, Ministerial Representative of
the Ministry of Social Affairs, Labor and Solidarity,
met the delegation. Brigitte Gr└sy, Director of
the French Women's Rights and Equality Service,
presided over the working meeting and hosted the
delegation. The delegation also met the leading
members of the Women 3000 Association and the
Women United Organization. They exchanged working
information with some local representatives in
charge of equality affairs. They visited the reemployment
center, job training enterprise, reception center
for abused women and women's shelter. They also
visited Lille in North France.
On March 21 and 22, the delegation took part
in the First Chinese Women's Day, launched by
the ACWF and the Quimper Municipal Government,
conducted by China Women's Development Foundation.
Activities included seminars, a photo exhibition
on China, a handicrafts exhibition and films.
The opening ceremony of the First Chinese Women's
Day and the photo exhibition were held in the
municipal hall. The mayor of Quimper and Zhao
spoke and cut the ribbon at the opening ceremony.
Several other officials from the French side and
nearly 90 Chinese women from Liaoning, Jiangsu,
Hebei and Guizhou took part in the activities.
Four vice-presidents of Finist┬re's Parliament
met the delegation. French officials showed great
interest in and passion for China.
This visit received attention from many local
media. The delegation was interviewed by media,
including the France Quest, with the best circulation
in France, Voice of North, North Edair and Bretage
Television Station.
The year 2004 is the 40th anniversary of the
establishment of diplomatic relations between
China and France, and also the China-France Culture
Year. Supported by Wu Jianmin, China's ambassador
to France, the delegation discussed the possibility
of launching China's Cultural Week for Women next
year in France by cooperating with official agencies
and women's organizations in France.
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