Silk Road NGO Cooperation Network

In 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward the proposal of jointly building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road (hereinafter referred to as the Belt and Road), which injected new impetus for China and countries along the Belt and Road in realizing common development and prosperity and in strengthening practical cooperation, mutual learning between civilizations and people-to-people exchanges and is well recognized by the international community. To further pool the strength of NGOs at home and abroad and bring full play of NGOs’ unique features and advantages, the China NGO Network for International Exchanges (CNIE) made the proposal to build a Silk Road NGO Cooperation Network (hereinafter referred to as the Network) which, by far, about 300 NGOs from over 60 countries have voluntarily joined in. Today, we are here to announce the official launching of the Silk Road NGO Cooperation Network.

I. Guideline

The Network is established to implement the Vision and Proposed Actions Outlined on Jointly Building Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road, carry on the Silk Road spirit of friendly cooperation, implement outcomes of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation and create sound atmosphere and consolidate public opinion foundation for countries along the Belt and Road to strengthen people-to-people bond.

II. Principals

The Network upholds principles of openness and inclusiveness, mutual respect, mutual learning, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation. We welcome and support the efforts of NGOs and other social players at home and abroad in participating in and jointly building the Network. On the basis of mutual respect, equal treatment and peaceful coexistence, all member NGOs, regardless of sizes, home countries, and fields of expertise, shall accommodate the shared development interests and concerns of countries along the Belt and Road, give full play to the unique features and advantages of NGOs, facilitate exchanges and cooperation, promote coexistence and mutual learning among different civilizations, so as to realize win-win cooperation and common prosperity and together share the outcomes of the Belt and Road development.

III. Objectives and tasks

We aim at building the Network into an effective platform for information sharing and action coordination among member NGOs in their cooperative efforts to strengthen people-to-people bond. Through various channels of mutual visits, workshops, thematic seminars, etc., member NGOs can keep each other informed of latest information about public opinion and cooperation demand, hold discussions on Belt and Road related issues and share with each other their respective successful stories. Together, member NGOs can contribute wisdom and strength to the endeavor of jointly building the Belt and Road.

We aim at enhancing mutual assistance and capacity building of NGOs along the Belt and Road. The Network encourages NGOs to cooperate in launching livelihood programs, providing educational and medical volunteer services, improving the living standards of peoples along the Belt and Road, promoting cultural exchanges and mutual learning between different civilizations, urging media and businesses to better fulfill their social responsibility and strengthening mutual understanding and friendship among peoples along the Belt and Road.

We aim at pooling strength of NGOs to proactively participate in and support the Belt and Road building, giving full play to the unique role of NGOs in promoting people-to-people exchanges, strengthening people-to-people bond and winning public support and forging positive energy for peace, harmony and development.