Peking University, Dec. 18, 2014: On November 29th, Peking University International College Students Public Service Forum was held in the underground conference hall of the School of Chinese as a Second Language (SCSL) of Peking University (PKU). The forum was organized by PKU Student Service Team, Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA), SCSL and Office of International Relations. The theme of this year’s forum was “In the Name of Love, Join Hands to Promote Public Service”. The forum aimed to provide students from home and abroad with an opportunity to share their experiences of volunteering and encourage international cooperation in the field of public service.
Student participants at the forum/ Photo: PKU Student Serive Team
Professor Ye Jingyi, vice chairperson of Peking University Council, delivered the opening address for the forum. Professor Ye said that volunteering is an essential part of college life. She spoke highly of the achievements of PKU Student Service Team in the past 13 years and pointed out that the forum provides a perfect opportunity for students who want to exchange ideas on public service and promote volunteerism among the young generation.
Other guest speakers included Mr. Tu Meng, Secretary-General of China Youth Development Foundation, Mr. Liu Kuiwen, Secretary-General of China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation, Mr. Wang Haifeng, Chairman of SCSL Council and Mr. Kang Tao, Deputy Director of Office of International Relations. Mr. Tu talked about three essential skills for student-volunteers. Mr. Liu enumerated the usual criticisms of college students’ public service and proposed a new approach to volunteering in a more meaningful and organized way. Mr. Wang recounted his early experiences of teaching Chinese in South Korea and said that he was impressed by Korean students’ enthusiasm for voluntary work.
Students in discussion/ Photo: PKU Student Service Team
During the discussion period, students from over 13 Chinese universities and students from the U.S., Canada and Singapore, etc. shared their experiences of public service. Sha Keyun from Egypt told the story of how her family members had worked together to found schools for poor children. Then, the participants were divided into several groups. They went on to discuss three different topics, namely, “The Nature of Public Service”, “Personal Experiences of Volunteering”, and “How to Promote Cooperation between Student Public Service Groups”.
Background information on the chief organizer:
Established in 2001, the PKU Student Service Team is a public service group, consisting mainly of students who receive financial aid and who share a common passion for volunteering. More than 3000 students from different departments have worked in the team. They have participated in various traditional voluntary activities, such as environmental protection campaigns and voluntary teaching in rural areas. They have also run their own social service projects, such as orientation for freshmen, academic tutoring and campus guide serive.The volunteer hours of the PKU Student Service Team have added up to over 4 million.
Reported by: Li Xiaowei
Edited by: Chen Jiayu
