On May 15th, the launch ceremony of the "My Date with the Motherland" series of activities celebrating the 70th anniversary of the foundation laying of Guangzhou Overseas Chinese New Village and the 12th Guangzhou Overseas Chinese Cultural Activity Day were held at Overseas Chinese New Village in Yuexiu District. About 300 people attended, including officials from the China Overseas Chinese History Museum, Guangdong Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, Guangdong Overseas Chinese Federation, Guangzhou Municipal Party Committee, relevant units in Guangzhou and districts, representatives from the Hong Kong and Macao overseas Chinese community, residents of Overseas Chinese New Village, and teachers and students from overseas schools. It is reported that Guangzhou Overseas Chinese New Village started construction and laid the foundation on May 15, 1955. It is not only the first large-scale residential area built for returning overseas Chinese in China, known as the "First Village of Overseas Chinese in New China", but also one of the first historical and cultural blocks in Guangzhou. It has won honors such as "National Community Overseas Chinese Work Star Community", "Republic Seal" Witness, and "Livable Community in Guangdong Province". Over the past 70 years, Huaqiao New Village has stood the test of time, with more than 1500 returning overseas Chinese and their families from over 20 countries and regions living and working in peace and harmony here. Patriotic overseas Chinese leaders Wang Yuanxing, Fang Junzhuang, Li Zhuchao, Liu Jiaqi and many other outstanding representatives of returned overseas Chinese, as well as Cantonese opera red school art master Red Line Girl, famous essayist Qin Mu, China's first generation overseas oil painter Yu Ben, Lingnan architecture masters Mo Bozhi, She Junnan and other well-known figures have lived here or contributed to the development of overseas Chinese villages and the motherland. They have demonstrated the patriotic, hometown loving and family loving feelings of overseas Chinese through practical actions. The main responsible comrade of the United Front Work Department of the Guangzhou Municipal Party Committee pointed out in his speech that 70 years ago, under the care of the Party and the government, batches of overseas Chinese who had a strong sense of patriotism returned resolutely, joined hands with their hometown people, and jointly built their homeland, creating the reputation of "the first village of overseas Chinese in New China". Today's Overseas Chinese New Village is suitable for business and living, harmonious and inclusive. It has not only become a happy paradise for returning overseas Chinese and their families, but also a showcase of Guangzhou's "new vitality of the old city". Standing at a new historical starting point, we hope that the vast number of overseas Chinese can inherit and carry forward excellent traditions, cultivate patriotism, play their advantageous role, and create more achievements and make greater contributions in sharing the responsibility and glory of national rejuvenation. The relevant person in charge of Yuexiu District stated in their speech that Yuexiu District continues to promote the "Five New" governance in Huaqiao New Village through the empowerment of overseas Chinese culture - new appearance and charm, and "embroidery skills" to promote the micro transformation of overseas Chinese villages; New industries gather energy, and the integration of "science and technology innovation+cultural innovation+overseas innovation" activates the industrial ecology; Building a foundation for new governance, Party building leading and consolidating governance forces; Empowering with new energy and building a service matrix through diversified collaboration; The relay of new overseas Chinese, passing on the torch from generation to generation, continues to write the patriotic sentiment, transforming the advantages of "overseas Chinese" into governance effectiveness, and revitalizing the old overseas Chinese village. At the launching ceremony, guest representatives poured yellow soil mixed with golden sand from the original site of the foundation of Overseas Chinese New Village into the launching platform, marking the official start of the "70th Anniversary Series of Guangzhou Overseas Chinese New Village Foundation". It is reported that this series of activities is jointly organized by the Guangzhou Overseas Chinese Affairs Office and the Guangzhou Overseas Chinese Federation from May to October, including immersive overseas Chinese history open classes, overseas Chinese culture themed touring exhibitions, overseas Chinese youth football exchange matches, visits to the old homes of overseas Chinese celebrities in new villages, the "Capital Meets Overseas Chinese Hometown" Guangzhou Month event, a seminar on the contemporary values of overseas Chinese patriotism, and the completion ceremony of the statue of Mr. Wang Yuanxing. On the same day, the 12th Guangzhou Overseas Chinese Cultural Activity Day with the theme of "Overseas Chinese love the motherland, the motherland loves overseas Chinese" was held at Guangzhou Overseas Chinese Foreign Language School. The event takes the form of an immersive open class on overseas Chinese history, narrated through three acts: "In the Past, Overseas Chinese Love Builds Homes", "Today, the Motherland Protects Overseas Chinese Love", and "Tomorrow, Overseas Chinese Hearts Towards the Future", leading the live audience to explore the past, present, and future of the Overseas Chinese New Village, telling touching stories of the two-way journey between the motherland and overseas Chinese. At the event, Zhang Mingmin, an alumnus of Overseas Chinese Primary School and a Hong Kong singer, performed the song "My Chinese Heart" and shared his unforgettable memories of his alma mater and Overseas Chinese New Village. Chen Kun, Director of the Guangzhou Overseas Chinese New Village Construction Committee, grandson of Indonesian patriotic returnee Wang Yuanxing, and President of the Hong Kong Overseas Chinese Association, shares the inheritance of the family's spirit of "loving the country and loving the hometown". Subsequently, Ma Jun, the grandson of Cantonese opera master Red Thread Girl, told the story of the deep affection and cultural protection behind his grandmother's "passport detention". Chen Kun told Xinhua News Agency reporters that in recent years, the Hong Kong overseas Chinese community has actively promoted the participation of young Hong Kong compatriots in the development of the motherland in the new era. We have organized young overseas Chinese from Hong Kong to come to the mainland for exchange and learning. Through on-site visits, we have increased their understanding and knowledge of the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area and the mainland, thereby promoting young overseas Chinese from Hong Kong to actively participate in the construction of the motherland and the integrated development of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao. In addition, Huang Chuji, former deputy mayor of Guangzhou, grandson of Filipino patriotic returnee Huang Changshui, and president of the Hong Kong Overseas Chinese Association Federation, shared the practice of Hong Kong's overseas Chinese community building a bridge for cooperation between China and overseas Chinese. The grandson of Macau patriotic industrialist He Xian and Hong Kong Legislative Council member He Jingkang talked about how to transform his grandfather's patriotic spirit into concrete actions to serve the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area. He told a reporter from Xinhua News Agency that in 1955, his grandfather Mr. He Xian donated funds to build the "Chengxi Library", hoping to use it as a platform for overseas Chinese to exchange ideas. My grandfather's patriotism and love for his hometown deeply infected me and inspired me to actively participate in the construction of our motherland, contributing to the development of a beautiful homeland. The person in charge of the China Overseas Chinese History Museum told the story of Guangzhou Overseas Chinese New Village being selected as a witness to the "Republic Seal" and received three precious objects from the village. These objects that carry the memories of overseas Chinese will be included in the "Republic Seal" witness object series. The person in charge of Guangzhou Overseas Chinese Federation talked about the vivid practice of adhering to the original intention, focusing on the center, and serving overseas Chinese over the past 70 years, striving to build a warm harbor for the vast number of overseas Chinese. Afterwards, representatives of returning overseas Chinese and their families recited excerpts from the prose "Flower City" created by essayist Qin Mu in Huaqiao New Village together with student representatives from Guangzhou Overseas Chinese Foreign Language School; Accompanied by the image of AI Mr. He Xiangning, the performance of the music, poetry, and painting "I Love You, China" by students from Overseas Chinese School expresses their infinite love for their motherland through heartfelt interpretation. Finally, all the guests gathered together to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of Overseas Chinese New Village and send their best wishes. It is reported that the Guangzhou Overseas Chinese Federation established the "Guangzhou Overseas Chinese Cultural Activity Day" cultural exchange brand in 2014. The first event was held in the Overseas Chinese New Village and has been held for twelve times. Through various forms of overseas Chinese cultural activities, it enriches the cultural life of the overseas Chinese community and showcases the charm of Guangzhou's overseas Chinese community. (Suitongxuan)