"Legalization of Voluntary Service" Seminar Has Been Held Successfully in RUC

On Oct. 27, 2018, the "Legalization of Voluntary Service" Seminar was held successfully, organized by National Academy of Development and Strategy of Renmin University of China, and supported by Institute of Administrative Law of China University of Political Science and Law.

More than 20 experts and scholars from China Youth Volunteers Association, China Volunteer Service Federation Research Institute, Beijing Volunteer Service Research and Development Institute, Party School of the Central Committee of C.P.C, Peking University, China University of Political Science and Law, Beijing Normal University, Beijing Youth Politics College, Hebei University of Economics and Business, University of International Relations, Renmin University of China, Shanghai Zhiqu Charity Foundation, Love and Respect for the Elderly in Baoding Association attended the seminar.

Yang Zhen, Ph.D. student of Law School of Renmin University of China, presided over the opening ceremony. Professor Mo Yuchuan from the Law School of Renmin University of China and Vice President Tan Jianguang from the China Youth Volunteers Association delivered speeches respectively, wishing the seminar a smooth start. The written addresses from Yan Jinming, executive director of NADS and Feng Yujun, director of the Center for Social Transformation and Rule of Law were read in the opening ceremony.

Wang Ying, expert of the China Volunteer Service Federation Research Institute and professor from Hebei University of Economics and Business presided over the first session. Focusing on the theme of “The Development of Volunteer Service with Chinese Characteristics towards the Rule of Law”, Tan Jianguang, Vice President of the China Youth Volunteers Association and Vice President of the China Volunteer Service Federation Research Institute, Professor Wang Jingbo, President of the Institute of Rule of Law and Government of China University of Political Science and Law, Vice-President of the Trial Chamber of the Supreme People's Court and Secretary-General of the China Administrative Law Research Association, Professor Bi Yanying, Party Secretary of the Law Department of the University of International Relations and Director of the Law Department, and Zhang Junhu, Secretary General of the Shanghai Zhiqu Charity Foundation respectively gave a keynote speech. Taking a practical exploration of Guangdong Province as a sample, Tan Jianguang introduced the interactive relationship between volunteer service laws and policies at different stages. Wang Jingbo discussed the information disclosure of the volunteer service business and envisioned the system and public issues. Under the background of Chinese traditional culture, Bi Yanying specifically proposed the difference of volunteer service in the context of Chinese and Western languages. Through the statistics of the volunteer service industry, Zhang Junhu pointed out the contradiction between the current growing demand for volunteer service and the backward supply of volunteer services. Professor Liang Luqi, Vice President of China Volunteer Service Federation Research Institute and Professor of Beijing Youth Politics College,  believes that the report has both theoretical depth and China's national conditions, which helps to promote voluntary service legislation, and believes that the promotion of voluntary service development should be the principle of voluntary service legislation.

Professor Zhang Qiang, Associate Dean of the School of Social Development and Public Policy of Beijing Normal University, presided over the second session. Focusing on the theme of "Prominent Legal Issues in China's Volunteer Service Practice", Cao Shitao, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Volunteer Service Federation Research Institute, and Zhang Ping, President of the Love and Respect for the Elderly in Baoding Association, made keynote speeches respectively. Cao Shitao introduced the legislative process and system of volunteer service in Beijing in recent years. Zhang Ping introduced the experience of Love and Respect for the Elderly in Baoding Association and Hebei Province volunteer service. Professor Wang Ying from Hebei University of Economics and Business and Associate Professor Xu Lianli from Beijing Youth Politics College reviewed the report. Wang Ying pointed out that the next step of legislation should consider the training of volunteers and make it clear the management responsibilities of voluntary organizations. Xu Lianli reviewed the report and comments and proposed what is the starting point for legal research in the field of volunteer service. She also believes that the practice of volunteer service is not a matter of legislative resources, but a law enforcement issue.

Vice President Tan Jianguang of the China Youth Volunteers Association presided over the third session. Focusing on the theme of “The Development of the Theory of Rule of Law for Volunteer Service with Chinese Characteristics”, Professor Zhang Qiang from the School of Social Development and Public Policy of Beijing Normal University, Zhan Zhongle, Vice President of the Chinese Administrative Law Research Institute and Professor from Peking University Law School, Professor Mo Yuchuan from Law School of Renmin University of China gave keynote reports respectively. In the report, Zhang Qiang raised questions about the functional positioning of legal tools, the boundaries of volunteering, the relationship between legislators and policy makers, and the evaluation of volunteer services. With specific cases, Zhan Zhongle believed that volunteer service can increase the individual's social identity, and that administrative legislation is not enough to solve the all-round issue of volunteer service. It is necessary to formulate specific legislation. Mo Yuchuan reviewed the development process of the Volunteer Service Regulations and discussed the risk of alienation of volunteer service organizations in the context of the reform of state institutions in the new era. He also looked into the future of the legislation on volunteer service. Professor Ding Yuanzhu, deputy director of the Social and Ecological Civilization Teaching and Research Department of the Party School of the Central Committee of C.P.C, member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and vice president of the China Volunteer Service Federation Research Institute, commented on the report. He believed that voluntary service legislation should create a good social environment for volunteer service and raised the motivation issue of volunteer service from the culture perspective of habits.

After the discussion, Professor Mo Yuchuan from Renmin University of China Law School summarized the seminar today. He expressed his gratitude to the distinguished guests and called for the development of the "People's Republic of China Volunteer Service Law" to improve the system of rule of law in the field of volunteer service in the new era. The seminar was successfully concluded.