Rewi Alley Legacy Echoes and Relayed to the Next Century

在新西兰回望百年友谊 接棒路易•艾黎精神之光

Auckland, the City of Sails, is famous for its long white clouds drifting across the horizon and ginkgo trees dropping down their golden leaves and ripened fruits in late autumn. In the early morning of April 21, 2026, the launch ceremony for the commemorations of The Rewi Alley in China Centenary was held at the China Construction Bank New Zealand (CCB NZ), the Vice President & Standing Committee Member of China Chamber of Commerce in New Zealand. Guests in attendance included Brett O’Riley, Interim National President of the New Zealand China Friendship Society (NZCFS), Alistair Crozier, Executive Director of the New Zealand China Council, Dr. Jian Yang, Chairman of the New Zealand Chinese Business Club, Mei Ding, JP, President of the Chinese Women's Association of NZ, and a few representatives from major Chinese enterprises in New Zealand.

晚秋的奥克兰，长云飘过、千帆竞渡，人行道上的银杏树，掉落下金黄树叶和累累果实。2026年4月21日上午，路易•艾黎来华百年纪念活动启动仪式在商会副会长单位建行新西兰机构举行。新西兰中国友好协会(NZCFS)代理主席欧百利(Brett O’Riley）、新西兰中国关系促进委员会(NZCC)执行董事孔思达(Alistair Crozier)、新西兰华商俱乐部(NZCBC)主席杨健博士、新西兰海外华人妇女联合会会长丁梅太平绅士，以及多家在新中资机构负责人参加。

Born on December 2, 1897, in the town of Springfield, Canterbury, Rewi Alley set sail for Shanghai on April 21, 1927, at the age of thirty. From that moment, he forged an indispensable connection with China, dedicating 60 years of his life to Chinese people. He initiated the Gung Ho (Chinese Industrial Cooperatives) movement, founded the Bailie School, and established the NZCFS, sharing a common breath and destiny with the Chinese people. Following his passing in Beijing on December 27, 1987, at the age of 90, his ashes were scattered in Shandan, Gansu Province, in accordance with his testamentary bequest.

1897年12月2日，路易•艾黎（Rewi Alley）生于新西兰坎特伯雷斯普林菲尔德小镇。1927年4月21日，而立之年的艾黎先生远渡重洋抵达上海，从那一刻起，他与中国结下不解之缘，发起工合运动，创办培黎学校，创建新中友协，与中国人民同呼吸共命运，在华生活长达60年。1987年12月27日，90岁的艾黎先生在北京病逝，骨灰按他遗嘱撒在甘肃山丹。

Yong Wang, CEO of CCB NZ, provided the guests an update on the progress of the commemorative preparations. In late 2025, through the collaborative efforts of advocates for Sino-New Zealand friendship, The Rewi Alley in China Centenary was drafted for the first time. Having garnered widespread recognition and resonance across societies ever since, the initiative is now ready for phased implementation. With "Sino-New Zealand Youth Exchange" serving as the cornerstone, the initiative will unfold through a tapestry of flagship projects, including "Retracing Alley’s Road," thematic essay accolades, short video competitions, and scholarly forums. These endeavors aim to honor the extraordinary contributions of Rewi Alley and his contemporaries, revitalizing the "Alley Spirit" to infuse bilateral ties with renewed vitality and fortify the enduring bedrock of friendship between the two peoples.

建行新西兰王勇总经理向与会嘉宾介绍了纪念活动筹备进展。2025年末，经多位中新友好人士参与策划，《路易•艾黎来华一百年(The Rewi Alley in China Centenary)》形成初稿。经征求多方意见，活动方案得到社会各界的认可和共鸣，现已具备分步推进条件。活动将以“中新两国青年交流”为支点，通过“重走艾黎路”、主题征文、短视频大赛、论坛研讨等系列项目，缅怀路易•艾黎等老一代新中友好人士的非凡贡献，传承弘扬艾黎精神，通过未来一年的人文交流互访，为中新友谊注入新鲜血液，为深化中新两国各领域合作、厚植两国人民友谊贡献新的力量。

Mr. Brett O’Riley underscored that commemorating Mr. Alley served as a profound testament to the enduring friendship between our two nations, asserting that envisioning the coming century holds as much significance as honoring the legacy of the past century. He articulated a fervent hope for the youth to rise as a new vanguard of "ambassadors of friendship" and future leaders.

欧佰利先生指出，纪念艾黎先生就是纪念中新友好，展望未来百年和缅怀过去百年同样意义非凡，希望青年一代涌现出中新友谊的新使者和新领袖。

Mr. Alistair Crozier offered a retrospective on intergovernmental exchange initiatives, highlighting the indispensable role that seasoned "China Hands" play in navigating the contemporary bilateral landscape. 

孔思达先生回顾了中新交流政府项目的历史和现状，强调“中国通(China Hands)”在当前中新关系中的重要价值。

Dr. Jian Yang highlighted the unique imperative of "Understanding New Zealand through the Lens of Rewi Alley," drawing upon insights gleaned from over a decade of dedicated engagement. 

杨健先生强调“通过艾黎了解新西兰”的特殊意义，并介绍了十多年来的相关活动情况。

Ms. Mei Ding, widow of the late NZCFS President Mike Dawson and a long-standing advocate for bilateral ties, supplemented the discourse with updates on commemorative milestones slated for Shanghai, Beijing, Henan, and Gansu. 

丁梅女士是新中友协主席丁大雄(Mike Dawson) 先生的遗孀，多年来致力于两国交流，发言时特别补充了上海、北京、河南、甘肃等地活动的情况。

Representatives from the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Bank of China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, and China Travel Service delivered resonant addresses, recognizing the significance of the project and pledging their utmost commitment.

来自工商银行、中国银行、东方航空、南方航空、海南航空、中国旅行社的代表也发表了热情洋溢的致辞，大家普遍认同本次活动的重大意义，并愿意以各种方式积极参与和大力支持。

This gathering has once again consolidated a broad coalition of proponents for Sino-New Zealand friendship, heralding an assembly call for the 2027 centenary. As the year’s commemorative initiatives unfold in an orderly succession, the spiritual torch ignited by Rewi Alley a century ago will be passed on to the next generation, radiating an everlasting bright for the new century.

本次会议再次汇聚起中新友好各界力量，为2027年纪念路易•艾黎来华一百年吹响了“集结号”。随着年内系列活动的有序展开，100年前路易·艾黎高擎的精神火炬，将被更多的中新友好人士接棒相传，并在新的百年起点上燃放出历久弥新的璀璨光彩。