On September 10, at the invitation of the Chou Ta-Kuan Cultural and Educational Foundation in Taiwan, Mr. Clemens Goetz, former mayor of Altenstedt, Germany (2007-2023), and his wife Ms. Isabel Goetz, accompanied by Mr. Chou Shang-Guan, Executive Director of the Chou Ta-Kuan Cultural and Educational Foundation in Taiwan, visited the Beijing Changier Education Foundation. Entrusted by Ms. Zhang Yinjun, President of Beijing Changier Education Foundation, the Foundation's Honorary President Gao Shuqun, Deputy Secretary-General Wang Lingling, Director of Education Research Department Liu Baoli, Secretary of the main branch of Maternal Love Academy Wang Liu Siyu, and Changier International Volunteer Hai Tao received the visitors and engaged in discussions and exchanges. This event represents another collaborative partnership between Beijing Changier Education Foundation and Taiwan's Chou Ta-Kuan Cultural and Educational Foundation as "Cross-Strait Sister Foundations". Mr. Clemens Goetz, born in 1962, is visiting China for the first time with his wife, marking their first trip to Asia. According to arrangements made by the Chou Ta-Kuan Cultural and Educational Foundation of Taiwan, the couple will visit five cities during this trip: Beijing, Xi'an, Hong Kong, Taipei, and Shanghai, and will receive the 28th "Fervent Global Love of Lives Award" presented by the Chou Ta-Kuan Cultural and Educational Foundation of Taiwan in Taipei. Previously, 481 outstanding individuals from 81 countries around the world who love and protect life have received this honor, including Zhang Yinjun, President of the Beijing Changier Education Foundation.

Mr. Clemens Goetz and his wife Isabel Goetz have four children. Their hometown, Altenstadt, Germany, is located at the border region where Germany, France, and Switzerland meet. In 1946, the year World War II ended, their hometown celebrated one of its own winning the Nobel Prize in Literature: Hermann Hesse, the distinguished German poet and novelist. Hesse was born in Germany in 1877, later acquired Swiss citizenship, and died in 1962. His representative works include Der Steppenwolf, Unterm Rad, Narzi? und Goldmund, and Das Glasperlenspiel. Hesse's father was a Protestant pastor, his mother was French-Swiss, and the family had multinational heritage (German, French, Swiss, and British). Such family backgrounds are quite common in the region, and ethnic integration has long been a social challenge there. Mr. Clemens Goetz's primary accomplishment as mayor of Altenstein was promoting ethnic integration. During this Changier exchange, Mr. Clemens Goetz and his wife Ms. Isabel Goetz mentioned this point on multiple occasions. Mr. Goetz said that their city is actually a small town with a population of only 8,000, but two-thirds are newcomers. One of his main objectives during his tenure has been to transform the extremely alienated interpersonal relationships into warm and friendly ones. In this regard, his wife, Ms. Isabel Goetz, provided great assistance to both him and the municipal government. Ms. Isabel Goetz is responsible for managing a Black Forest refugee project locally, with her primary public welfare work focusing on helping the elderly, assisting foreign populations, and supporting the unemployed. Their outstanding joint achievement as a couple was helping Syrian refugee youth Ryyan Alshebl successfully integrate into the local community and win election as mayor of Ostelsheim. This incident once caused a sensation throughout Germany and Europe, touching the hearts of many people. Hugo Ball called Hermann Hesse the last knight of German Romanticism. His art was deeply influenced by Romantic poetry. He loves nature and is weary of urban civilization. His works frequently employ symbolism with beautiful and delicate prose; influenced by psychoanalysis, his writing focuses on excavation and exploration within the spiritual realm, fearlessly and honestly dissecting the human psyche. Hermann Hesse has many famous quotes that circulate locally, and the one that had the greatest impact on the couple was: "Every person's life is a journey toward the self, an attempt at every path, wholehearted and never-ending." Their hometown takes pride in having a Nobel Prize in Literature winner like Hermann Hesse and follows his teachings in how they conduct themselves and their affairs.

Following the meeting procedures, Minister Liu Baoli first represented the Beijing Changier Education Foundation and introduced in English the journey that China's APEPCY has taken over the past 20 years, with particular emphasis on the arduous path that founder and President Zhang Yinjun went through during the early stages of the Foundation's establishment. Chou Shang-Guan introduced the touching achievements that led to him and his wife receiving the "Fervent Global Love of Lives Award" from Taiwan's Chou Ta-Kuan Cultural and Educational Foundation. In 2007, Dr. Clemens Goetz, who was a pastor then, was elected mayor of Altenstadt, Germany, and moved there with his family. The voters had one simple demand for him: Make the city peaceful again! In his city, the population tripled over 40 years, with the majority being newly arrived refugees. His primary task was to bring harmony to groups of people who were at odds with each other. This was a challenging task. To achieve this, he adopted an innovative approach to thinking, restructured urban planning, and established nursing homes in the city center, placing the most vulnerable residents in the most valued central locations. He conducted open and candid meetings of all types, treating everyone with equal respect. He suggested that the City Council agree to establish a new city center with a public square, featuring amenities such as nursing homes, fountains, cafes, and shops, to create a place where all city residents could freely gather and celebrate. He proactively visited all families with newborn babies, championing the motto "the community has a brand new face" for everyone to embrace, helping newborns and newly arrived families overcome their sense of unfamiliarity. He publicly invited citizens to participate in workshops about the town's future, empowering them to actively plan their community's development, such as proposing the establishment of a "family center" and a "multigenerational park" in the city center. Today, "family centers" and "multigenerational parks" have become vital venues for public interaction among the city's residents and important catalysts for strengthening community cohesion: people of all ages gather here, some pushing strollers, others wheelchairs, forming meaningful connections with one another. Under Goetz's leadership, active community organizations in the urban area bucked the trend, growing from 4,000 to 5,500 members. Mayor Goetz also earned residents' donations through his generosity and integrity, establishing a foundation to maintain community bonds. Over the years, he has transformed celebrations from mere events into opportunities for strangers to rediscover one another. In Germany, the city of Altenstadt has truly become a home for everyone. In recent years, under Mayor Clemens Goetz's leadership, the city has established a sister city relationship with Mouilleron-le-Captif in France, organizing annual student exchanges, community visits, and woodworking training camps; it has also partnered with Chekka in Lebanon, leveraging German aid to develop solar street lighting and sewage treatment facilities, fostering bilateral partnerships. This broadened their horizons. Starting in the fall of 2015, large numbers of Syrian refugees poured into Germany. Refugees were distributed nationwide based on the resident population. The city of Altenstein must accommodate approximately 400 refugees in a short timeframe. Initially, citizens' fear and anxiety toward foreigners was widespread among the population. They must all find housing for refugees, and most importantly, they must find people who are willing to help these individuals from around the world and support them in establishing themselves within the local community. Mayor Clemens G?tz established a dedicated position within the administrative department early on to oversee this initiative, hiring staff and coordinating countless volunteers to teach newcomers German word by word, help them understand local customs, and work together to build a warm and welcoming city.

In the above process, Isabel Goetz, Mayor Goetz's capable wife, played an important role. She originally majored in history and French at university, but after marriage, she chose to dedicate her career to human welfare by pursuing social work. This bears some resemblance to President Zhang Yinjun. She served in the government of Calw County in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, gradually taking on increasing social responsibilities, from employment counseling and care cost negotiations to assisting people with physical and mental disabilities. As a mother of four children, she once put her career on hold for six years to focus on her family, but never stopped caring for others. She chose to convey to the world through gentle means that women need not abandon motherhood to wield profound influence in the public sphere. In 2016, when the Syrian and Middle Eastern refugee crisis swept across Europe and shook German society, Isabel was appointed as head of the "Refugee and Integration Department" in Calw County. Initially there were only 30 employees, but the team later expanded to over 50. She thus took on the heavy responsibility of properly resettling more than 3,000 refugees. Among these refugees, some were single young adults; others were families with children in tow; some eagerly seeked to learn German and integrate into local society, while others, traumatized and disoriented, sometimes resorted to illegal activities out of desperation and inability to cope. This was not merely administrative coordination, but rather a delicate balancing act in the midst of cultural clash. She carefully considered each town's capacity and preferences, striving for equitable resource distribution: some communities only wanted to accept single men because their schools lacked space; others prefer families, fearing security concerns posed by young males. She had to ensure that all parties feel heard and respected. Under her leadership, this massive social consultation was ultimately brought to a successful conclusion. She didn't rely on lofty slogans, only a steadfast belief that every person deserves to be seen. Perhaps she did not personally receive every refugee or directly intervene in the new life journeys of Syrian refugees, but the administrative culture and social atmosphere she fostered allowed these young people from conflict zones to start from scratch. Isabel firmly believes that true leadership is not about claiming all the credit for oneself, but about creating an environment where others can flourish. She silently paved the way for such stories to unfold. In 2020, she was appointed Director of Culture, Education, Associations, Festivals and Tourism for the city of Calw, overseeing more than 300 employees. This city is the hometown of Nobel Prize in Literature winner Hermann Hesse, and she also serves as Executive Director of the International Hesse Society, dedicated to perpetuating Hesse's philosophy that "every individual deserves understanding and respect". The humanistic spirit found in Hesse's writings is also embodied in her governance philosophy: culture is not merely performance and celebration, but a language of mutual understanding. In Germany, Isabel Goetz is not a hero taking center stage, but rather a woman who consistently walks among the people, quietly bringing about life-changing transformations. She made us believe that institutions can be gentle and that administration can be infused with love. She is dedicated to advocating for the vulnerable and creating conditions that enable everyone to live with dignity and fulfill their potential.

With the above introduction and understanding of Mr. Clemens Goetz and his wife Ms. Isabel Goetz, the communication between both parties became warm and pleasant. During his self-introduction, Gao Shuqun discovered common ground with Mr. Clemens Goetz: for instance, they are of similar age and both have government work experience. Ms. Liu Baoli discovered a neighborly connection with the Goetz couple: her husband is Swiss, and Switzerland borders Altenstedt, Germany, which can reportedly be reached by car in no time. Ms. Liu Baoli said that she and her husband would try to visit the Goetz family as soon as possible. President Zhang Yinjun expressed through Gao Shuqun her intention to visit Altensteig next year. Both parties engaged in discussions regarding the "Memorandum of Cooperation" during their exchange, hoping to reach consensus on cooperation across multiple areas as soon as possible. For example, Beijing Changier Education Foundation hopes to establish a Maternal Love Academy in Altenstedt, combining its "Family Center" and "Multi-generational Park", and in accordance with the spirit of the UN's Pact for the Future, jointly explore and practice community governance topics related to "community integration" and "intergenerational education". The Goetz couple, however, hope to establish two-way communication channels and wish to visit China on multiple occasions. During lunch, the Goetz couple took time to learn about Chinese chopstick culture and derived profound philosophical wisdom from it. When we asked "What aspects of China have impressed you the most?", Dr. Goetz immediately responded: "The lifting of over a billion people out of poverty!" He said, "This is truly remarkable—only China could accomplish this." "Compared to China, Germany is a small country." He was primarily referring to population, territory, and history. At the time of departure in the afternoon, Dr. Goetz was reluctant to leave, saying "I have many doubts and many questions, and I long to communicate with you." On behalf of the Beijing Changier Education Foundation, Gao Shuqun and Wang Lingling presented the Goetz couple with a gift of special commemorative significance: a paper-cutting artwork created by children rescued by China's APEPCY. On the left and right sides of the decorative frame, the following text is written in Chinese characters: Works by China APEPCY for Child Rescue, with the inscription "Presented by Beijing Changier Education Foundation - NGO in Special Consultative Status in the United Nations". The same text content is written in German above and below. Gao Shuqun also wrote a vibrant character "爱" (love) in red small seal script. The Goetz couple reciprocated by giving them exquisite children's food specially made from their hometown. At parting, host and guest embraced, vowing to meet again soon.

Although the meeting with our German friends was brief, it was of extraordinary significance. Beijing Changier Education Foundation, as an NGO in special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, first learned about the situation of war refugees entering Germany, including Syrian refugees and refugees from other regions. I also learned about the very important practical experience of a small German city in building a community with a shared future for mankind. In this regard, the introduction of Changier's experience, particularly its care for the healthy growth of young people, its commitment to maternal education and family-community harmony, and its exploration of building a community with a shared future for mankind at the micro level, all offer enlightening insights to our German friends. Germany's experience is also worth learning from and emulating. During the exchange, we particularly introduced to them the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping, as well as the vision of working together to build such a community in Germany. The Goetz couple expressed that they would give this further consideration. The exchange also revealed the Goetz couple's limited understanding of China and their eagerness to learn more about the country. He remarked that many authentic aspects of China cannot be captured through text or videos; only by witnessing them firsthand can one truly experience the real China. So he decided to visit China more frequently, to travel extensively throughout the country to see for himself, to gain a genuine understanding of the real China, and to introduce this authentic China to the Western world. Mr. Goetz said that he had been busy with official duties for many years and had no time to travel abroad, but now that he is retired, they will visit China frequently. Chinese friends who want to truly understand Germany also need to visit the country. Stay in touch and keep the relationship active. This is the final consensus reached by both parties. This exchange laid the foundation for China-Germany civil exchanges with Changier as the platform. It is expected that the collaboration between Beijing Changier Education Foundation and Taiwan's Chou Ta-Kuan Cultural and Educational Foundation will bear even more fruitful results.