New era training centers reach out to grassroots communities

Wang Xiaoping (front, second from left), head of Jilin province's publicity department, attends the inauguration of the province's first new-era training center in Yanminghu township on Nov 6. [Photos Provided to China Daily]

Jilin province opens public facilities to promote the spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress

Jilin province's first new-era training center was unveiled in a small village in Yanminghu township in the city of Dunhua earlier this month.

As a major communication base for popularizing the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Jilin plans to set up such facilities across the province.

"The new establishments will provide a venue for local residents to learn about the Party's theories and policies after socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era, and share their experiences and reflections on them," said Wang Xiaoping, head of the province's publicity department, at the inauguration ceremony on Nov 6.

The move is part of the provincial Party committee's decision to promote the Party's theories, government policies, laws and regulations, technology and culture.

Wang, who is also a member of the standing committee of the CPC Jilin provincial committee, said that all levels of governmental organizations in Jilin will back up the construction of new-era centers with personnel and financial support, making sure that they are fully-functional and well run.

The centers will be run under systematic management, with activities organized by specially assigned personnel and featuring distinct themes, local officials said.

The new centers will be mainly established around local companies, villages, governmental organizations, schools and residential communities.

The plans cover more than 9,300 administrative villages and 1,400 residential communities scattered throughout the province.

The 19th CPC National Congress reiterated the importance of building an ecological civilization, saying that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets.

To highlight the requirement of the 19th CPC National Congress regarding environmental protection, the new-era training center in Dunhua invited Ma Ming, a grassroots policy interpreter, to give a lecture and share his environmental experience and understanding with local villagers.

"Environmental protection is not something the government is working hard on with drive and ambition, while citizens stand by and watch," Ma said. "We can make a greater contribution to protecting the environment by not littering pesticide bottles and by burning less straw."

The activities organized by the center feature plain language and colorful recreational activities, to make sure the policies are more understandable for everyone.

Han Lijun, a local villager, said: "The public concerns of the 19th CPC National Congress are translated into language that can be understood by all villagers. We welcome the form and pattern of the center.

"Now, I have finally figured out what the integrated development of the primary, secondary and tertiary industries means."

The origin of such centers in Jilin dates back to an educational center in Changchun founded in 1906, the predecessor of Changchun Normal University.

Dunhua established a teachers training center for such use in 1908. Nowadays, Jilin maintains the operations of a batch of such centers for studying and learning intangible cultural heritage items.

These include the dongxiao, a vertical bamboo flute made by the Korean ethnic group, and New Year's paintings featuring historical migrations from Central China to Northeast China.

Recently, more new-era training centers have opened one after another. In addition to speeches or classes, the organizers also provide a wide range of artworks and performances, including singing, dancing, papercutting and painting.

hanjunhong@chinadaily.com.cn

In a new-era training center, a local resident performs kuaiban, a traditional Chinese rap-like art form of storytelling accompanied by rhythms performed on a set of small bamboo clappers, to promote the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. [Photo provided to China Daily]