On the morning of December 12, 2005, the CPAFFC held a donation ceremony of the microfilms of Rewi Alley’s works in the National Library of China. CPAFFC Vice President Liu Zhiming, New Zealand Ambassador to China Anthony Browne and Director of the National Library Zhan Furui were present at the ceremony. Others present included Rewi Alley’s relatives as well as his former old friends.
In his speech, Vice President Liu Zhiming praised highly the outstanding contribution Rewi Alley had made to the friendship between China and New Zealand. Ever since he came to China in 1927, Rewi Alley had stood together with the Chinese people despite all difficulties and hardships and worked hard for the Chinese people’s cause of liberation and construction for sixty years. He was a true friend of the Chinese people. In order to let more Chinese readers to get a deeper understanding of Rewi Alley’s thoughts and deeds, the CPAFFC decided to donate the 14 rolls of microfilms of Rewi Alley’s works to the National Library of China.
New Zealand Ambassador to China Anthony Browne recalled Alley’s life and expressed again his gratitude to the CPAFFC for donating Alley’s works to the National Library of New Zealand in 1999. He said that although the New Zealand people are proud of Rewi Alley, his achievements belong more to China. Hence, the National Library of New Zealand made these microfilms from Rewi Alley’s manuscripts, letters, diaries and photos which the CPAFFC donated to it as well as other materials which the library has collected and presented them to the CPAFFC. He expressed appreciation of CPAFFC’s donation of these microfilms to the National Library of China, saying that this would make it convenient for the Chinese scholars to study Alley.
Director Zhan Furui of the National Library expressed his thanks to CPAFFC’s donation, adding that these microfilms would enrich the library’s collection and lead more readers into the mental world of Rewi Alley. Meanwhile, it is also an evidence of the cultural interflow between China and New Zealand and friendship between the two peoples. It will encourage more Chinese people to know about Rewi Alley’s homeland, New Zealand.
After the speeches, Vice President Liu Zhiming presented the 14 rolls of microfilms to Director Zhan Furui and they watched the projection of part of the microfilms.