CDRF Holds China-U.S. Strategic Dialogue on ECD in the U.S.
On November 20, 2013, CDRF and the Brookings Institution jointly host a China-U.S. Strategic Dialogue on Early Childhood Development.
Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong and former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton attend the Dialogue and address the opening ceremony. Vice Premier Liu points out that despite different national conditions, China and the U.S. share the same value and objective of prioritizing childhood development, and promoting social equity. The two countries should strengthen cooperation in this regard because childhood development is an indispensable element for both Chinese dream and American dream. Hillary Clinton notes the great opportunity for exchanges and cooperation between China and the U.S. in terms of ECD, saying that such work should be nailed down as an important part of the cultural and educational exchange between the two countries. She hopes that both sides would strengthen exchanges and cooperation in this regard so that the youth of both countries would be benefited and other countries be able to draw on their experiences.
SG Lu Mai and James Wolfensohn, former World Bank President, speak in the Dialogue with renowned scholars and experts of early childhood development from China and the U.S. This is the first high-level dialogue and exchange on early childhood development between China and the U.S., thus will not only benefit children in the two countries but also help strengthen the bilateral ties.
After the forum, the Chinese delegation attend a seminar with ECD experts from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Education, Department of Agriculture, and the Human Development Network of the World Bank to exchange views on topics such as infant health, child education, and home visiting system. The delegation also participate in the launching ceremony of the annual meeting of National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), visit Mary’s Center, as well as the White Oak Wonder Child Care Center, and the Georgetown University Center for Child(ren) and Human Development (GUCCHD) to learn about the practical implementation and budgeting of the Head Start Program as well as other programs for early nutrition intervention, early childhood education and home visiting.
