中國人民對外友好協會

中國人民對外友好協會

中國人民對外友好協會“中樓”。

中國人民對外友好協會（簡稱“全國友協”）是中華人民共和國從事民間外交事業的全國性人民團體，以增進人民友誼、推動國際合作、維護世界和平、促進共同發展為工作宗旨，代表中國人民在國際社會和世界各國廣交深交朋友，奠定和擴大中國與世界各國友好關系的社會基礎，致力于全人類團結進步的事業。全國友協貫徹執行中國獨立自主的和平外交政策，遵循和平共處五項原則，開展全方位、多層次、寬領域的民間友好工作，為實現中國的和平發展與和平統一大業服務，為建設持久和平、共同繁榮的和諧世界而努力奮斗。全國友協的各項活動得到中國政府的支持和社會各界的贊助，已設立46個中外地區、國別友好協會，與世界上157個國家的近500個民間團體和組織機構建立了友好合作關系。

中國人民對外友好協會的主要任務是：

■ 開展中外民間友好交往，組織代表團互訪，舉辦紀念慶典，倡議和主辦研討會、洽談會、論壇等交流活動，增進與各國人民之間的相互了解，建立信任，發展友誼。

■ 推動國際合作，建立交流機制，搭建合作平臺，促進中外雙方在經濟、科技、人才等多領域的務實合作，為實現互利共贏、共同發展創造有利條件。

■ 開展中外民間文化交流，派出和接待文化藝術團體和人士進行友好訪問，舉辦演出和展覽，促進中外文化互鑒，加深了解和友誼。

■ 受政府委托，協調管理我國同外國建立和發展友好城市關系的工作，推動中外地方和城市的交流與合作。作為世界城市和地方政府聯合組織的成員，代表中國地方政府參與國際合作。

■ 作為在聯合國經社理事會具有全面咨商地位的非政府組織，廣泛參與聯合國的事務，積極參加其他國際非政府組織的交流活動，有效傳遞中國的信息。

■ 發展中外民間友好力量，建立對不同地區和國家的友協團體，聯系各國對華友好組織、社會團體和人士，向為民間友好作出重要貢獻的組織和人士，分別授予“人民友好使者”榮譽稱號、“人民友誼貢獻獎”“中外兩國友好使者”榮譽稱號和“中外兩國友好貢獻獎”。

■ 致力于維護世界和平、人類共同安全的事業，聲援各國人民爭取國家發展、社會進步、維護主權和安全的正義斗爭。

■ 開展其他有關中國人民同各國人民友好合作的工作。

中國人民對外友好協會是1954年5月3日由10個全國性的社會團體聯合發起成立的。最初稱中國人民對外文化協會，1966年改稱中國人民對外文化友好協會，1969年起改稱現名。會址設在北京。在中國各省、自治區、直轄市及部分市、區、縣設有地方對外友好協會。

中國人民對外友好協會每五年召開一次全國理事會會議，選舉會長、副會長、秘書長，并組成常務理事會。第十屆全國理事會會議于2012年5月召開，選舉李小林女士繼續擔任會長。

（全國友協供圖）

The Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) is a national people’s organization engaged in people-to-people diplomacy of the People’s Republic of China. The aims of the Association are to enhance people’s friendship, further international cooperation, safeguard world peace and promote common development. On behalf of the Chinese people, it makes friends and deepens friendship in the international community and various countries around the world, lays and expands the social basis of friendly relations between China and other countries, and works for the cause of human progress and solidarity. It implements China’s independent foreign policy of peace, observing the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, while carrying out all-directional, multi-level and broad-area people-to-people friendship work to serve the great cause of China’s peaceful development and reunification and contribute to the building of a harmonious world of lasting peace and common prosperity. In launching its activities, it has supported from the government and assistance from all sectors of the society. It has set up 46 China-regional or China-national friendship organizations and established relationship of friendly cooperation with nearly 500 nongovernment organizations and institutions in 157 countries.

Main tasks of the CPAFFC include:

■to carry out people-to-people friendly contacts with other countries by organizing exchange of visits of delegations, holding commemorative activities, initiating and hosting exchange activities including seminars, talks, forums to enhance mutual understanding, build up trust and develop friendship with people of other countries;

■to promote international cooperation by establishing contact mechanisms, building cooperation platforms and furthering pragmatic cooperation in economy, science and technology, personnel and other areas to create favorable conditions to achieve win-win results and common development;

■to effect people-to-people cultural exchanges by dispatching or hosting cultural groups or personalities on friendly visits and sponsoring performances or exhibitions to promote learning from each other in the cultural fi eld and enhance understanding and friendship;

■entrusted by the government, to coordinate and oversee the work of establishing and developing friendship-city relations between China and other countries and promote exchanges and cooperation between their localities and cities; as a member of United Cities and Local Governments, to participate in international cooperation on behalf of Chinese local governments;

■as a nongovernment organization in general consultative status with the U.N. Economic and Social Council, to take an extensive part in U.N. affairs, actively participate in the exchange activities of other international nongovernment organizations to effectively communicate information about China;

■to develop the force of people-to-people friendship between China and other countries by establishing China-regional or China-national friendship organizations, keeping contacts with friendship-with-China organizations in various countries, and conferring separately upon organizations or personages that have made important contributions to people’s friendship the honorary title of Friendship Ambassador or the Award for Contribution to People’s Friendship; the honorary title of Chinanational Friendship Envoy or the Award for Contribution to China-national Friendship;

■to engage in the cause of safeguarding world peace and common security of humankind and support the people of various countries in their just struggle to achieve national development and social progress and defend sovereignty and security;

■to carry out other activities for friendly cooperation between the Chinese and other peoples.

The CPAFFC was founded on May 3, 1954 on the initiative of ten national public organizations. It was fi rst called the Chinese People’s Association for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries. It was renamed the Chinese People’s Friendship Association for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries in 1966. Since 1969, it has been known by its present name. It is located in Beijing. Local associations for friendship with foreign countries have been set up in all the provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central government, and in a number of cities, districts and counties.

The National Council of the CPAFFC convenes every f ive years, at which the president, vice presidents and secretary-general are elected to form the Executive Council. The Tenth National Council was convened in May 2012, and Mme. Li Xiaolin was reelected CPAFFC president.

The Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries