The opening ceremony of the third China International Positive Psychology Conference took place at Tsinghua University in Beijing on July 3.

The event, an initiative of the Ministry of Education and the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), was hosted in partnership with the China Children and Teenager's Fund (CCTF), and organized by the psychology department of the university's Social Sciences Institute.

Attendees included Vice-President and Member of the Secretariat of the ACWF, Vice-President of CCTF Zhao Donghua, who delivered a keynote speech.

According to Zhao, "With the rapid development of the social economy and a new culture, special groups such as 'left-behind' women and children have appeared. It has lead to them and their families encountering many problems in their studies, work and lives that cannot be ignored."

"It requires not only widespread social concern, professional and scientific guidance; much more is needed. The practice of positive psychology takes promoting human development as its responsibility; pays attention to the advantages and virtues of human being; and seeks to make individuals, families and even the whole of society obtain happiness and harmony," she mentioned.

"Its popularization and application is the demand of the times. It is an eager expectation of the development of humane society, is also the requirement of women's organizations to comply with the development of the 'new normal', and a strong device to carry out innovative works".

Zhao added, "We should make greater efforts to popularize positive psychology in the whole of society, develop the public's – including women's – positive attitudes, and form a stream of positive social energy. It is of great realistic significance and far-reaching historical significance for improving the degree of family civilization, promoting the development of Chinese society, and realizing the great 'Chinese Dream'."

The conference ran from July 3-6 with the theme of "Positive Psychology and the Chinese Dream: Localization, Exploration and Contribution". Leaders from the International Positive Psychology Council, experts and scholars of positive psychology, psychology practitioners and many others participated in the activity.

CCTF established its partnership with the Social Sciences Institute of Tsinghua University in August 2014. They jointly founded the positive psychology research center in the university, worked together to study Chinese children's educational welfare, and launched activities to popularize and apply positive psychology in communities, families and organizations, in order to improve the public quality of positive psychology and enhance Chinese children and women's welfare.

(Source: China Women's News/Translated and edited by Women of China)