Chinese Social Entreprenneurs visit The Goth & Arts Festival

Serious discussions had their lighter moment, when it was time for the photocall!

click to enlarge the photograph and press cuttings below


Andrew Crummy, second from left, once again welcomed a professional group to The Prestoungrange Gothenburg on Tuesday February 2nd. The British Council had asked the Arts Festival to share its goals and development over the past decade with a team visiting the UK from China. Each of the visitors has social enterprise responsibilities back home there.

Yanni Peng, who is Assistant Director, Society and Development at the British Council in Beijing, said: "The aim of the visit is for Chinese organisations to learn from British experience in these areas and especially the development of skills for social entrepreneurs. We also hope it will lead to the formation of new and mutually beneficial partnerships in the future.”

Andrew Crummy commented: “It is a pleasure to show this group round our community and explain to them the various initiatives we have going on here. From the seeds of the early days of the Prestoungrange Arts Festival 10 years ago, we now have a flourishing arts community here with a host of spin-off events and projects.

“It would be nice to think that there could be an on-going connection in the future. I’m sure we have a great deal to learn from each other.”


________________________________________________________________

The full Chinese delegation [not all pictured] consisted of:

Qingqing QIU - Deputy Director, Social Innovation Initiative Programme, China Social Entrepreneur Foundation
Yongguang XU - Deputy Chair of the Board and Secretary-General, Narada Foundation
Hongyu SHE - Assistant Secretary-General, The Amity Foundation
Weiyan ZHOU - Trustee, Executive Chairman, Shanghai Jet Li One Foundation
Ruijun YUAN - Vice Director, Centre for Civil Society Study, Associate Professor School of Government PKU
Zhengmeng YE - General-Manager, Zhejiang Xinhu Group
Ian ROBINSON - Director, Society and Development, the British Council Beijing
Yanni PENG - Assistant Director, Society and Development, the British Council Beijing

The specific aims for the visit to the UK are:

• To enable key individuals to better understand the social enterprise sector and appreciate UK’s expertise and experience in this area;

• To gain understanding and knowledge of the impact of their financial investments – social ROI and ‘best value’ principles and social objectives;

• To achieve buy-in and continuing commitment in terms of partnering with British Council on the Skills for Social Entrepreneurs project and its development in 2010 and 2011;

• Help establish links between these leading Chinese foundations and UK organisations and institutions with a view to further collaboration & partnership.