After more than 6 months' preparations, the 2008 International Conference on the Development of Old Age Programs was held at Shanghai International Convention Center successfully from September 26-28, 2008. More than 300 governmental officials, experts and scholars and professionals from 24 countries and regions, including over 100 overseas participants, attended this conference. More than 100 theses were submitted, 75 of which were read at the plenary sessions or workshops.

Centered on the theme of "elderly services & elderly participation", the conference carried out fruitful exchanges and discussions. The participants from the 24 countries and regions introduced their respective experience in promoting active ageing and healthy ageing and put forward many significant viewpoints. The conference won the attention of the high-level leadership. Leaders from China National Committee on Ageing, China Old Age Programs Development Foundation and Shanghai Municipality as well as the Director of UN International Institute on Ageing attended the Opening Ceremony and made important speeches. WHO also dispatched a representative to the conference. The conference has realized the expected purpose of exchanging experience, promoting cooperation and displaying the image of Shanghai. The organization and arrangement of the conference has gained high acclaim from most participants.

The 2008 Shanghai Magnolia Gold Award Presentation Ceremony was held at the City Hall on Sept. 28. Mayor Han Zheng presented each of the ten award winners with a framed certificate and a medal. Rene van Sluijs(former Senior Policy Advisor of the Rotterdam Department of Social Affairs and Employment),at the recommendation of our bureau, got the award due to his prominent contributions to the social welfare programs of Shanghai.
Rene van Sluijs has had friendly relations with Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau for more than ten years. He has initiated and promoted several projects through his support and coordination, such as the Shanghai-Rotterdam Social Welfare Training Programme, the Sino-Europe Cooperation Project on Shanghai Elderly Care Assessment System, and the Sino-Dutch Shanghai Care Center for Senile Dementia.

 

On the morning of August 20th, the 19th "Wings of Welfare" Delegation with 92 members headed by Mr. Egusa Yasuhiko, the Honorary Director of Social Welfare Juridical Person ASAHIGAWASO and the Honorary Citizen of Shanghai visited Shanghai Children's Home. Ms. Ma Yili, Director-General of Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau, chiefs of related divisions as well as the staff and children from Shanghai Children's Home warmly received the delegation.
Delegation members and children from Shanghai Children's Home jointly performed a wonderful artistic program with Sino-Japanese cultural characteristics. Subsequently, the delegation was divided into 4 groups and visited the living, educational, rehabilitation facilities in the Home.
Through the visit of the delegation, China and Japan have deepened the mutual understanding, increased friendship in between and promoted the development of social welfare undertaking in Shanghai.

 

From June 25 to 28, 2008, arranged by the Foreign Affairs Department of Ministry of Civil Affairs, a 14-person delegation from the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, the largest comprehensive welfare organization providing medical, educational and social services in Hong Kong, paid a visit to Shanghai. The purpose of their trip is to learn about the development of social service and community service in this city and promote exchanges in social service between Shanghai and Hong Kong through visiting relevant organizations. On the morning of June 25, related officials from Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau met the delegation and introduced the Bureau's earthquake relief work, as well as the elderly welfare and the orphaned and disabled children's welfare, the community service, and the professionalization of social work in Shanghai. During their stay, the delegation also visited over 10 other agencies, including Shanghai Children's Home and Shanghai Community Service Center.

 

On the morning of June 6th, a donation ceremony was held in the meeting room of Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau. During the ceremony, on behalf of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Mr. Alejandro Gaitan, the Senior Regional Global Supply Officer, donated 4000 tents for the earthquake-plagued people of Gansu Province to Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau. Ms. Gao Julan, the Deputy Director of Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau attended the ceremony and expressed the gratitude to UNHCR on behalf of the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau.
Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau is entrusted by the Ministry of Civil Affairs of China to receive the disaster-relief goods from UNHCR. This is the second batch of the relief goods received by Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau from UNHCR. The bureau will deliver the goods to the earthquake-hit area as soon as possible. It is reported that a first batch of 1250 tents donated by UNHCR on May 26 was delivered to the Sichuan Province on the same day.

 

On the afternoon of June 5th, Mr. Gerhard Schroeder, the former Chancellor of Germany came to Shanghai Children's Home and made a donation of 10,000Euros. On the donation ceremony, Ms. Gao Julan, the Deputy Director of Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau and Mr. Schroeder delivered an address respectively. Mr. Zhou Wen, Director of Shanghai Children's Home gave a certificate of donation to Mr. Schroeder. Leaders and guests attending this donation ceremony are Ms. Wang Jianjun, the Deputy Director of Information Office of Shanghai People's Municipality, Mr. Mei Zhaorong, China's former ambassador to Germany, Mr. Lu Qiutian, China's former ambassador to Germany, Dr. Albrecht von der Heyden, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Shanghai and the former First Deputy Mayor of Mannheim. Before the donation ceremony, Mr. Schroeder and guests paid a visit to the Home.

 

In recent days, international organizations, consulates and enterprises actively donated money and goods to the earthquake-hit areas through Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau. The specific contents are as follows.

On May 15, the Deputy Consul General of the Republic of Korean and representatives of the Korean enterprises in Shanghai came to Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau to donate 60,000 RMB and 2000 boxes of instant noodles. On May 20, amount of 279,984 RMB were donated by employees of Consulate-General of the Republic of Korea and employees of Samsung Group (Shanghai branch) to the disaster area. On May 21, on behalf of Hanjing Shipping Co., Mr. Tae Man UM, the Managing Director of Asia Regional Headquarters， Hanjing Shipping Co. donated 1.01 million RMB to Sichuan earthquake-hit Areas .

 

In order to assist the disaster relief in earthquake-hit Sichuan,
Consulate General of Japan in Shanghai donated 50 dialysis machines and complementary materials such as dialyzers, blood tubing sets and dialysis powder, valued over RMB 7 million, to the affected areas on behalf of Japanese government through Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau.
At 10 a.m. on May 19, the ceremony of Consulate General of Japan in Shanghai donating the said equipments to Sichuan disaster areas was held in conference room No. 140 of Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau. Consul General of Japan in Shanghai Mr. Kumamaru Yuji conveyed the condolence of Japanese government and Japanese people over the recent sweeping earthquakes in Sichuan to Mr. Zhang Zheren, Vice Director of Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau, and hoped that the abovementioned medical apparatuses could help in rescuing and curing severely injured victims. Mr. Zhang Zheren extended gratitude on behalf of Ministry of Civil Affairs, PRC to Consulate General of Japan in Shanghai, and kept Mr. Consul General informed of the fact that governments of various levels, enterprises, social organizations and individuals in Shanghai were active in donating money and materials to support quake-hit areas. Both parties exchanged donation list and donation certificate.
It is reported that 50 dialysis machines and auxiliary goods have been delivered in two batches to Chengdu Shuangliu Airport in the afternoon of May 18 and in the morning of May 19 respectively.

 

A four-person delegation headed by Mr. Rene van Sluijs, senior policy advisor of Department of Social Affairs and Employment, Rotterdam visited Shanghai from 19th to 28th, April. The purpose of their trip is to discuss with Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau the progress of the cooperative projects of Dementia Care Center of Shanghai No.3 Elderly Home, the preparatory work of Shanghai social welfare delegation to the Netherlands and the further plan of cooperation and communication between both sides.
Ms. Ma Yili, Director General of Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau as well as two deputy directors, Mr. Fang Guoping and Ms. Gao Julan met with the delegation separately. Besides, Ms. Gao Julan and relative division chiefs had fruitful meetings with the delegation. In the afternoon of 22nd April, Mr. Van Sluijs made a speech on "How to Ensure the Elderly Home's Service Quality by Government?" During their stay in Shanghai, the delegation paid a visit to the construction site in No.3 Elderly Home and had a meeting with the leadership about the internal decoration, configuration of equipment and management. Furthermore, the delegation also visited Shanghai No.1 Elderly Home, Guangzhong Road Sub-district Community Service Center, Yixian Elderly Home in Changning District and Changchun Elderly Service Center in Jing'an District.

 

17th March to 21st March 2008, accompanied by the staff of Social Work Department, Liaison Office of The Central People's Government in the HK S.A.R., a 17-person delegation from St. James' Settlement paid a visit to Shanghai.
St. James' Settlement is an agency providing comprehensive social services. During their stay in Shanghai, they visited Shanghai Civil Affair Bureau, Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, Shanghai Disable People's Federation, exchanged information and experience on aged work, child welfare, community service, junior education and disable people's welfare in Shanghai and Hong Kong. Besides, they visited Shanghai No.1 Elderly Home, Community Service Center of Guangzhong Road Sub-district and Xu Jiahui Sub-district and Social Work Department of Fudan University.

 

On 14th March 2008, accompanied by Ms. Liao Xun, Deputy Director of Social Work Department, Liaison Office of The Central People's Government in the HK S.A.R., a 30-person delegation from the Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University visited our Bureau. Ms. Gao Julan met the delegation and made an introduction of the major responsibilities of our Bureau. Chiefs and related staff from Social Welfare Division, Disaster Relief Division and Aged Work Division joined the meeting. The meeting and communication make both sides have an updated understanding of the development of both Shanghai and Hong Kong and lay the foundation for more communication and cooperation.

 

Headed by Mr. Katuyuki Matumura, a four-person delegation from Health and Welfare Bureau, Osaka City, Japan visited Shanghai from Feb.19 to 22, 2008.
The communication between Shanghai and Osaka on social welfare was started in 1987. Through visits of social welfare officials and professionals from both cities, the friendship between two cities is strengthened and the development of social welfare undertaking is promoted. The purpose of the trip this time is to investigate the status quo and achievement of senior welfare, child welfare, relief to vagrants as well as handicapped people's welfare.
On Feb. 19th, Ms. Gao Julan, the Deputy Director of Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau met the delegation together with chiefs from related departments such as Social Welfare Department, Aged Work Department and Shanghai Social Service. During their stay in Shanghai, the delegation also visited Shanghai No. 1 Elderly Home, Shanghai Children's Home and the rehabilitation center of Shanghai Disable Persons' Federation.

A five-person group headed by the Deputy Consul General of the Korean Consulate General Shanghai and the Chairman of the Korean Chamber of Commerce visited Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau on the 3rd, February. They extended their sincere greetings to the people who suffered the snow storm disaster and donated over 60,000RMB for disaster relief. Mr. Zhang Zheren, the Deputy Director accepted the fund donation on behalf of Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau and made an introduction on the disaster relief work in Shanghai as well as China to the group.

An 11-person Delegation from the University of Oregon visited Shanghai from 12th to 17th, December. The purpose of their trip is to observe the development of harmonious community and the management of NGOs in Shanghai; to further discuss the ideas and ways of community development and operation model of NGOs.

During their stay in Shanghai, the delegation paid a visit to several sub-districts and local communities. For instance, they are deeply impressed by the "One Door" Service Center of Songjiang New Town, which they think is full of human-oriented concept and modern facilities. Furthermore, the delegation visited the "Love House" in East China Normal University and had a round-table talk about the administration and operation model of NGOs with the leadership of Shanggang Sub-district.

Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau started the training cooperation with the University of Oregon in 2000 and up to now 6 groups have been sent to UO for the training on Community Development & Management. The delegation's trip to Shanghai this time makes them see the fruits of this training project and breathes new vitality into the future cooperation.

 

(Foreign Affairs Division, Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau, Dec 19, 2007) At the invitation of Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau, a four-member delegation from the Department of Social Affairs and Employment of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, headed by its Vice Director Ms. Yvonne Frank, visited this city from December 8 to 17, 2007, to strengthen international exchanges and cooperation in the field of elderly welfare program in Shanghai. The specific purpose of the visit is to promote the recent key cooperation project between the two parties - the establishment of Shanghai Senile Dementia Care Center, and introduce the advanced care concepts, care methods and care management so as to improve the services for the demented seniors in the elderly institutions according to international standards.

During the visit, Ms. GAO Julan, Vice Director of Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau, and responsible officials from its relevant divisions, Shanghai Social Service Center and Shanghai No.3 Elderly Home, had a fruitful discussion with their Dutch counterparts on the design, construction, operation and management of the Senile Dementia Care Center and concluded the following intentions of future cooperation. First, the first floor of the Center will be built on the Dutch model into small family-style units, where professional care and family-style management will be provided. After its completion in 2009, it will become a demonstration unit for the care and nursing of the demented elderly in the city. Second, Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau will dispatch two groups of about 30 persons in the elderly care sector to the Netherlands to receive training. The Dutch side will subsidize the expenses during their stay in that country. During the visit, the Dutch delegation were invited to take part in the starting ceremony of the construction of the Senile Dementia Care Center and visit social welfare institutions such as No.1 and No.3 Elderly Homes, Shanghai Children's Home, and Shanghai Community Service Center.

Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau has already had a relationship of exchange and cooperation with the Department of Social Affairs and Employment of Rotterdam for 10 years. From 2000 to 2004, the two sides carried out the four-year-long Shanghai-Rotterdam Social Welfare Training Program, followed by the Sino-EU Shanghai Elderly Care Assessment Project from 2004 to 2005. This visit of the Dutch delegation promoted a new round of cooperation in social welfare between the two parties.