(Reporter: Zhao Wei, Correspondent: Qiu Yunjian) On the evening of August 27, Ma Xuming, the municipal deputy party secretary and mayor, met with Gillian Mellsop, the UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund) representative in China.

　　Gillian Mellsop comes to inpect the project “early childhood development under community family support” in Yichang, which is a pilot project of UNICEF and ACWF (All- China Women’s Federation). Under the equipment and financial assistance of UNICEF, the first 10 activity centers of the project have been built up. They are respectively located in Xiling District, Wujiagang District, Yiling District, Wufeng Tujia Autonomous County and other places. Currently, Yichang is carrying out a series of activities, such as donating equipment to communities and villages which are inhabited by lots of left-behind infants and young children, training volunteers, organizing parent-child activities and giving early family education lectures to nearly 500 left- behind infants and young children between 0-3 years old.

　　Ma Xuming welcomed the arrival of the delegation on behalf of the municipal government and appreciated the support from UNICEF. He said, the pilot project “early childhood development under community family support” was of much significance, and it was helpful for family education and social harmony. Due to the poilt project, Yichang has received widespread concern from socity. In the future, Yichang will timely feedback the implementation of the project and will try its best to make it "Sample Project" in order to benefit more families. Ma also hoped that UNICEF would continue to pay close attention to Yichang and support Yichang, and to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in more areas.

　　Gillian Mellsop thanked Yichang Municipal Government for its hospitality. She said, she looked forward to the prospect of the project through this inspection in Yichang. Knowing there were many families in remote areas, she hoped that more families would get out trouble after further implementation of the project. “early childhood development under community family support” is an innovative project. At present, China attaches great importance to early childhood education and the education of children between 0-3 years old is particularly critical. Through joint efforts, the poilt project in Yichang will surely provide valuable experience for early education career in both China and the whole world.

　　City leaders, Liu Xuefu and Liu Jianxin, accompanied and attended meeting.