The launch ceremony of the 2024 World First Aid Day promotional event. [Photo by Lin Yuyang for chinadaily.com.cn]

A World First Aid Day promotional event and series of activities known as "Xiamen Now — Stories of the New Era" took place at the Guanren International Community in Xiamen on Sept 14.

At the promotional event, the Xiamen Medical Emergency Center and Xiamen FAO Translation, Passport and Visa Center signed a Party construction and innovation cooperation agreement, aiming to enhance societal awareness of first aid, improve the public's ability to ensure the safety of both themselves and others in emergencies, enhance the public's overall emergency response capabilities, and improve safety and convenience for community residents and foreign nationals living in Xiamen. 

The two sides will cultivate international talents in medical emergency care, and jointly launch a new chapter of international cooperation in medical emergency care in Xiamen.

To support Xiamen's internationalization efforts, the event invited residents both domestic and foreign to participate in first aid training at the Guanren International Community. The training team from the Xiamen Medical Emergency Center used vivid graphics and text to explain the importance of first aid to residents and taught them emergency response techniques for various common emergency situations through the use of detailed case studies.

In addition to first aid training, volunteers conducted on-site blood pressure and blood sugar measurements, taught basic home first aid techniques, and promoted APEC business travel cards, consular protection and assistance services, as well as other foreign affairs policies benefiting the people. They also distributed English-language materials to foreign residents in the community through China Insight magazine.

Stella, a foreign resident, assisted by translators from the Xiamen Foreign Affairs Translation Passport and Visa Center, experienced hands-on CPR training. "By translating the first aid instructions for foreign residents, we were able to learn many skills that will be very helpful for our future foreign affairs work and daily life," shared the translators.

Next, both parties will establish a long-term cooperation mechanism, guided by Party building principles, to strengthen the political and organizational functions of Party organizations. Through paired cooperation, they will enhance their service capabilities for important diplomatic and foreign affairs activities and contribute to the development of Xiamen's internationalization efforts as well as the high-quality development of Xiamen's economy and society.