The Mothers’ Bridge of Love Adoption Dialogue (Series 9) | Lucky, Unlucky, or Somewhere in Between?
The Mothers’ Bridge of Love Adoption Dialogue (Series 9)
THEME — Lucky, Unlucky, or Somewhere in Between?
A Special Forum for Adoptive Parents
About the MBL Adoption Dialogue
The Adoption Dialogue was established by The Mothers’ Bridge of Love (MBL) in 2024. The series aims to help internationally adopted Chinese individuals and adoptive families communicate with one another, raise social awareness around adoption, and support adoptees and adoptive families across the world.
Through open dialogue, personal storytelling, and shared experiences, the forum seeks to build understanding, connection, and healing within the international adoption community.
Since its launch, the series has collaborated with adoptees, adoptive families, and organisations in Canada, the United States, Norway, the United Kingdom, and beyond.
Previous Themes of the Adoption Dialogue
Series 1 — January 2024
The Mothers’ Bridge of Love & Asian Adoptees of Canada (Canada)
Q&A with Author Xinran
Series 2 — June 2024
Birth Family Searching, Adoption Documents Consultation, and Dialogue with Chinese Adoptees
Series 3 — September 2024
Dialogue on Adoption with the Norwegian Society for Chinese Adoptees and the author of Adopted from China
Series 4 — December 2024
How Are We? Lived Lives, Inner Realities, and Personal Experiences of Being Adopted
Series 5 — March 2025
Being Adopted: Difficulties, Struggles, and Hope
Series 6 — June 2025
Having Adopted: Concerns, Difficulties, and Love
Series 7 — September 2025
When Adoptive Families Meet Birth Families
Series 8 — December 2025
When Daughters of the Bamboo Grove Meets Message from an Unknown Chinese Mother
Series 9 — March 2026
Lucky, Unlucky, or Somewhere in Between? | A Special Dialogue for Adoptive Parents
This forum focuses on the voices and experiences of adoptive parents — a perspective that is often less visible in discussions about international adoption. Through personal stories, research insights, and psychological expertise, the event aims to deepen understanding of the complex realities faced by adoptive families and adoptees.
Guest Speakers
Guro J. Skåre-Jullum
Guro J. Skåre-Jullum is the chairwoman of the Norwegian Society for Chinese Adoptees and Allies (Kinaforeningen i Norge) and has served in this role for over twenty years.In 2025, the organisation conducted a large anonymous survey among adoptees and adoptive parents to better understand their experiences of adoption and life afterwards.Guro will share both her personal perspective as an adoptive parent and key insights from this research.
Pippa
Pippa is an adoptive mother from the United Kingdom who will share reflections from her journey raising an adopted child. To protect family privacy, further personal details will not be publicly disclosed.
Wu Fan
Wu Fan is a writer and psychotherapist based in the San Francisco Bay Area, United States. She will discuss the psychological challenges that internationally adopted adolescents may face as they grow up, including issues of identity, belonging, family relationships, and the inner conflicts that can arise from growing up between different cultures. She will also share how adoptive parents and society can better understand and support adoptees through these important stages of development.
Host
Tongyu Li
Tongyu Li is adoption team leader of The Mothers’ Bridge of Love and an advocate for dialogue within the international adoption community.
Co-Host
CACH-ALL is a UK-registered charity supporting intercountry adoptees and their families. Established in 1995, it is widely recognised as one of the UK’s key post-adoption support networks for families formed through intercountry adoption. The organisation provides community connection, events, resources, and long-term support for adoptees, adoptive parents, and families.
Event Program
Opening remarks
Introduction to MBL and the Adoption Dialogue
Guest sharing
Q&A and open discussion
Introduction to MBL’s adoptee roots-reconnection program
Closing remarks
Date & Time
UK：22 March 2026 — 15:00–16:30
US/Canada East：22 March 2026 — 11:00–12:30
US/Canada West：22 March 2026 — 08:00–09:30
China：22 March 2026 — 23:00– 23 March 00:30
Sydney, Australia：23 March 2026 — 02:00–03:30
Venue
Zoom Meeting
Topic: The Mothers' Bridge of Love Adoption Dialogue （Series 9)
Time: Mar 22, 2026 15:00 London
Meeting ID: 840 9367 2564
The event will be conducted primarily in English, with simultaneous interpretation provided in Chinese.