The United Nations system in China and the United Nations
Association of China on Monday jointly held a "Stand Up for the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)" special event to mark the 62nd
anniversary of the UN and the midpoint for the MDGs.
The event took place inside of Tian'anmen's Shan Gong Park, a
beautiful area affiliated with the Forbidden City. Over a thousand
guests from the government, diplomatic corps, special guests, and
the media filled the Forbidden City Concert Hall. After the
ninety-minute reception a special evening of Naxi traditional music
was provided.
The opening reception included a lavish buffet filled with
Chinese and Western gourmet entrees. Then a bi-lingual 78-year-old
senior master musician, Mr. Xuan Ke, hosted the musical
performance. He merrily explained the history and significance of
all the songs. His troupe members ranged from octogenarians to
young people in their early twenties, all in national costume. "We
are living cultural treasures and I am a living cultural relic
because I'm so old," he quipped. "The songs you will hear tonight
are ancient, some are over seven hundred years old," Mr. Xuan said.
"But they have not changed in spirit or cadence at all."
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Thirteen songs were presented, ranging in variety from group
ensemble numbers to special pieces that highlighted instruments.
The performance included an outstanding solo by a young woman using
a type of mouth organ. Her harmonica had originally been made from
bamboo but now the Naxi people use a copper variety. Mr. Xuan
welcomed the audience to his home in Lijiang, located in southwest
Yunnan Province.
"My city has become more modern and accessible to outsiders but
the Naxi people, my people, treasure their culture and traditions.
Now Lijiang is a UNESCO Protected Cultural Heritage Site," he
explained. "The city and the Naxi people are some of China's
priceless treasures."?
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi spoke highly of the UN's
efforts and achievements in safeguarding world peace and
prosperity, promoting economic and social development of all
countries and creating a better world. The UN Resident Coordinator
in China, Mr. Malik Khalid, attended the event. He praised China's
achievements in realizing the MDGs, saying that China is leading
the way in achieving the MDGs and it has achieved ahead the
fundamental goal of reducing poverty by half.
China in conjunction with the UN has eight millennium goals:
eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; achieve universal primary
education; promote gender equality and empower women; reduce child
mortality; improve maternal health; combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and
other diseases; ensure environmental sustainability; promote global
partnership for development.
"It is very close identity between the UN MDGs and China's goal
to build 'Xiaokang' - harmonious society ... my colleagues at the
UN system are ready to be here with you to make the goals work,"
the coordinator said.
(China.org.cn by Valerie Sartor, October 23, 2007)
