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北京大学英语新闻网/Peking University News
Norwegian Prime Minister Mr. Jens
Stoltenberg Visited PKU
By Wang Yi
PKU NEWS 2007--03--27
http://ennews.pku.edu.cn/news.php?s=174968540
Peking University, Beijing, March 27th, 2007: Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, Prime Minister of
the Norway Kingdom visited Peking University for the opening of the seminar Nora‘s
Sisters: The role of women in China today.
As a tentative program, the opening ceremony of the seminar was held at Ying Jie
Overseas Exchange Center. Chaired by Vice President Lin Jianhua, the opening of
the seminar focused on women‘s situation in contemporary China.
Chairman of PKU Council Mr. Min Weifang first made an opening remark. Min
introduced the efforts PKU has made for women‘s equal rights and freedom since
1918, when Hu Shi and other Chinese influential intellectuals started the New
Culture Movement. Under the idea of equality between men and women, women
emancipation and women‘s search for freedom and independence, Cai Yuanpei, the
first president of PKU proposed ―Boys and Girls in one School‖ and the first female
student was enrolled by PKU in 1919.
In Mr. Jens Stoltenberg‘s speech, he first acknowledged the achievements of famous
Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, especially his classic A Doll‘s House, in which
the character of Nora stands for a challenge to social convention and influences
women all over the world. He also mentioned Chinese famous writer Lu Xun‘s
speech and explanations about the character of Nora, whose situation is applicable
to the status of women in many countries. According to Stoltenberg, Nora has her
symbolic value in that she awakens women and inspires them to think about bigger
issues, such as equal rights, freedom and property rights and how to be decision
makers. During the past decades, progress has been made in the removal of
obstacles for a full equal share of women socially, economically and politically. He
shared with the audience the experiences gained in Norway about the improvement
of women‘s rights. In Norway, more and more women are being protected and
respected, and dare to speak up. Meanwhile, the increasing number of women
involved in the workforce attributes to the rapid development of economy and
ensures a stable labor market in Norway. In his opinion, women can receive full
respect and develop their full potential only if true democracy, sustainable
development and social justice are socially realized.
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