First Heifer Charity Gala in China Shines Bright on a Starry Night

By Heifer International

October 3, 2019

Last Updated: March 29, 2013

Story by Jia Ruting | Assistant to the Country Director | Heifer China
Photos courtesy of Heifer China

Heifer China held a successful charity event on March 23, 2013, in the Beijing Grand Millennium Hotel.

The event's first session was called the Heifer United Forum. Song Weiping from the Da Bei Nong Company Group, Huang Yi from the China Merchants Group Foundation, and Ren Yuling, counselor of the state council, delivered keynote speeches regarding their cooperation with Heifer and the general situation of charity in China. Huang Yi's address included a highly convincing video about a Heifer project community.

At the end of the forum, a speech was given by Mao Zhenghua, founder of the China Chengxin Credit Management Company and the chairman of Heifer China’s Advisory Council. He shared his personal experiences from Heifer study tours to the villages in 2008 and 2009 and the profound change Heifer brought to the community and families.

Around 150 people from the corporate level, government and other foundations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) attended the forum. In addition, another 50 people from major national-level media, such as CCTV, Sina, Xinhuanet and Net Ease, attended.

The Heifer Charity Gala, the climax of the whole event, was attended by about 280 guests, including Gu Zhengqing, former member of the Central Committee of the China Communist Party; Yue Xuanyi, former member of the China Central Discipline Committee and Vice Minister of Justice; and Ren Yu Ling, state council advisor and board chair of the China Private Economy Promotion Association. Li Xiaohua, CEO of the Hong Kong Huada Group, and Mao Zhenghua were in attendance and announced the establishment of the Heifer United Fund. Famous singer Yang Hongji, CCTV hosts Zhu Dan and Meng Tong, and Olympic gold medalist Wang Lipingt were invited to perform and host the gala.

Twenty auction items, donated by renowned artists, a red wine company and Heifer supporters, were featured on the stage. Twelve pieces were auctioned off, raising approximately 450,000 Chinese yuan renminbi, or about $72,420. Cash donations collected from the donation box totaled approximately 30,000 yuan renminbi, or about $4,830. As a sponsor to this event, the Master Wine Company provided donations worth 50,000 yuan renminbi, or about $8,045. The grand total of money raised was around 600,000 yuan renminbi, or about $96,575.

The news about this event posted on Heifer China’s Weibo micro-blog was reposted more than 2,000 times, with some being reposted by Mao Zhenghua, who has 17 million followers. In the next two to three weeks, more news and video clips about this event and Heifer in general will be posted on the web, television and magazines. The event was successful in terms of building up the Heifer brand, connections and fundraising.

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