40th anniversary celebrations of the Amity Foundation in China

“Love is Eternal.” This was the theme for the 40th anniversary celebrations of the Amity Foundation, held in Nanjing, China, on November 18th. According to Amity, the theme was chosen not only as a tribute to the past, but as a promise for the future, and a commitment to an ongoing mission to serve society, benefit the people, and contribute to world peace.

You may well be aware of the Methodist Church in Britain’s partnership with Amity through having seen the names of those who served in China as English teachers with the Amity Foundation from the late 1980s into the present century, and supporting them through your prayers each month.

You may also know of the Amity Printing Press, which now produces three million Bibles a year, on super-lightweight “Bible paper,” in over 280 languages as well as Chinese.

MCB continues to connect with Amity as a member of ENAP, the European Network of Amity Partners that meets every other year to strengthen communication, and to promote friendly exchanges and international cooperation.

The 40th anniversary celebrations, which involved nearly 300 guests, included participation by Party officials and representatives of digital platforms as well as partners in philanthropy and welfare from China and overseas.

There was emphasis on the fact that Amity is very much a Chinese entity, with all the responsibilities that that entails. Amity is now the fourth largest NGO in China, with the greater part of its income coming from within country, much of it through online fundraising.

It started with a staff of three, inspired by the vision of Bishop Ting, and now has around a thousand employees. From small early beginnings, the work has expanded not only in China, but also beyond, with offices in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Nairobi, Kenya as hubs to support disaster relief, poverty alleviation, healthcare and education.

The Amity International Office in Geneva facilitates Amity’s advisory role to the World Council of Churches.

In the commemorative anniversary booklet, Amity lists ten of its current flagship initiatives.

These include the Orphan Fostering Programme, which provides psychological support as well as access to education; the Papa and Mama’s Canteen, which ensures food and companionship for older people; the Amity Bakery, which provides work and support for people with learning disabilities; and the Amity Cup International Table Tennis Philanthropic Tournament, which brings together Chinese and American young people through sport.

On the same page, it says: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

Mr Qiu Zhonghui, Chair of the Board, and Ms Ling Chunxiang, Vice Chair and General Secretary, assure us that Amity is committed to continuing the journey together. The following is quoted from the conclusion of the anniversary booklet.

In reflecting on our early years, we remain deeply grateful to our overseas partners and friends for their understanding, participation and support of the Amity Foundation’s work and China’s development. …

In the 1980s, when China’s philanthropic sector was still in its infancy, Amity stood among the pioneers exploring modern charitable models. Faced with scarce resources and limited experience, we were met with timely support from international friends who cared deeply about China’s social development and shared our belief in “helping people help themselves.” …

Today, Amity has grown from taking its first tentative steps into an organisation capable of designing large-scale programmes and contributing to the broader philanthropic ecosystem. We have gone from relying on external support to being able to assist smaller grassroots organisations.

Yet we have never forgotten that our growth began with the support of those early international partners. That memory continues to shape our approach to global collaboration: not as short-term “aid,” but as mutual partnership; not as cultural “export,” but as mutual learning between civilisations.

Congratulations on your 40th anniversary, Amity, and may your enduring love and sense of mission continue.

See https://amityfoundation.org/eng/ for more information.