In honor of this year's International Children's Day, a celebration gala themed "Dreams of the Future in Young Hearts" was held on June 1 at China Soong Ching Ling Science and Culture Center for Young People in Beijing.

Wang Jiarui, chairman of the CSCLF and vice chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, writes Chinese calligraphy at the International Children's Day gala on June 1 at the China Soong Ching Ling Science and Culture Center for Young People in Beijing. (Photos by Li Huiru/China.org.cn)

Hosted by the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation (CSCLF), the gala was attended by over 1,800 Chinese and foreign students. Also in attendance were Wang Jiarui, chairman of the CSCLF and vice chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), as well as vice chairmen of the CSCLF and China-based diplomats and representatives from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

Douglas Noble, deputy representative of UNICEF, spoke highly of the gala, stating in an interview with China.org.cn that it is "very good that different countries can learn the best practices from each other." He also stressed the significance of the festival.

"International Children's Day is very important, because it is a day we can all remember children's rights, their right to health, their right to education, their right to protection and their right to participation in society," he added.

Shen Yuqiao, a nine-year-old Singaporean girl, attended a painting session at the gala. In her painting, she integrated the landmarks of different countries into a single picture. She explained that her aim was "to symbolize China is friendly and open to the world in the process of continuous development."

Rayhab Arshed, a Pakistani girl now studying at Pakistan Embassy College in Beijing, painted a girl hugging the earth and many children riding on rockets around the world. She explained that the painting signifies that children are free to go wherever they want. They are the beauty of this world in which they add color and joy.

Vietnam's Ambassador to China, Dang Minh Khoi, said that the two countries have good cooperation in all aspects and that productive exchanges have been carried forward between the two peoples. He stressed the importance of communication among the youth by quoting the speech delivered by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the National Assembly of Vietnam during his 2015 visit: "The friendship between peoples is the source of development of state-to-state relations."

"Vietnamese children have participated in football matches organized by CSCLF. I feel we need to participate in more such activities, as they will determine the future of the China-Vietnam relations," said Dang.

Four hosts stand on stage at the gala for International Children's Day on June 1 at the China Soong Ching Ling Science and Culture Center for Young People in Beijing.