母爱桥年线简介
2004年8月18日
母爱桥 The Mothers’ Bridge of Love (MBL)在英国成功注册，注册号：1105543。母爱桥是一座文化与救助的立交桥，旨在生与养文化之间，贫与富之间，以及中西方文化之间，为世界儿童搭建一座文化交流与理解的桥梁。
母爱桥的创建者是一群来自中英的志愿者…我们在共同的愿望中相识相聚，同愿同行…
我们希望
-帮助中国的留守儿童获得更多的获得书籍和教育的机会
-帮助世界各地的儿童了解中国绚丽多彩的传统文化
-帮助在中国以外被收养的中国儿童了解中国人的精神与生存理念……
然而那时，我们不知道我们能做多少，且作为一个在国际风云中求生的文化慈善机构，我们是否能如愿持久。
现在，母爱桥已经是一个充满活力和快速增长的志愿者团队，19年来我们先后拥有了来自27个国家的1000多名志愿者，组建了3个核心团队：
MBL伦敦国际文化活动团队，
MBL中国志愿者救助中心，
MBL 网站与多媒体团队。
母爱桥已成为诸多收养家庭的中国亲戚，华裔家庭的良师益友，以及中外交流中的文化使者…
衷心感谢19年来与我们同愿同行的各界朋友，以及正在关注我们的您！
On 18 August 2004, The Mothers’ Bridge of Love (MBL) was officially registered in the UK under the registration number 1105543. MBL serves as a bridge between cultures by supporting cultural exchange and promoting mutual understanding between birth and adoptive cultures, between rich and poor, and between Chinese and Western societies.
MBL was founded by a group of dedicated volunteers from both China and the UK united by a shared vision and purpose. Together, we embarked on a journey to:
Enhance educational opportunities and access to books for underprivileged children in China.
Promote a deeper appreciation of China's rich traditional heritage to children globally.
Help Chinese children adopted overseas to reconnect with their roots and understand the essence of Chinese culture and philosophy.
When we started out, we didn't know how much of an impact we could have, or even whether we would be able to endure the challenges of operating as a global cultural charity.
Today, MBL boasts a vibrant and ever-expanding volunteer community. Over the last 19 years, we've welcomed over 1,000 volunteers from 27 different countries and established three core teams:
MBL London International Cultural Events Team.
MBL China Volunteer Centre.
MBL Website and Social Media Team.
MBL has established itself as a pillar of support for adoptive families, a mentor for Chinese families, and an ambassador for cultural dialogue between China and the rest of the world.
We are profoundly grateful to all our supporters, from all their various backgrounds, who have stood by us for the past 19 years, and to you, for your continued interest and faith in our mission!
2004 -2008 MBL
自2004年8月18日母爱桥MBL创立的第一天起，来自英国、中国、美国、加拿大、意大利、荷兰、丹麦、法国等地逾百名的志愿者陆续加盟了MBL，在关于公益、法律、以及文化差异的培训后，在MBL的董事会与总部Meiyee Lim和Wendy Wu的领导下开始了三座文化桥的架桥铺路:
1，中外文化交流网站的构建，使得第一期母爱桥网站成为多国公益团与媒介的关注点，随之与英美联合出版的彩绘童书‘母爱桥’，2007首发的三个月内便荣登华盛顿邮报‘儿童畅销书’榜单，至今仍为世界多国领养家庭图书的首选收藏。MBL中国志愿者中心于2007年成功组织了‘北京奥运会小天使艺术团’在英国伦敦、巴斯、爱丁堡的艺术巡演。中国小艺术家们与当地华人社团，领养家庭，以及中小学校进行了多种文化活动，被英国友人誉为‘2008年北京奥运在英国的宣传天使’。
2，积极响应联合国有关开放‘领养话题，救助失散亲人’的倡议，调研联系世界各地的收养中国孤儿的家庭，认真在16万(99% 为女孩)被领养的中国孩子中征询他们的需求，并为他们建立了‘MBL支持陪伴被领养者寻亲访祖的救助系统’；以及在他们成长的西方社区与学校提供文化活动的支持，使得华裔孩子自幼感受和自豪华夏文化的博大精深，并以此感召西方家庭与学童对中国文化的向往与学中文的兴趣。MBL创建者之一，作家薛欣然利用她在世界出版发行以及国际论坛的机遇，拜访了英国、美国、加拿大、澳大利亚、新西兰、以及欧洲多国的收养组织和领养中国孤儿的家庭。众多领养家庭告诉他们从中国领养的儿女：他们有三个家庭，生母家庭，领养家庭，和母爱桥大家庭！
3，启动母爱桥救助中国残疾孤儿与儿童国际图书馆项目，支助中国贫困地区乡村小学，帮助留守儿童种植理想，接受教育，从而摆脱无知与贫困。母爱桥的主席托笔*伊迪在此期间组织西方文学访华团，在三年内带领二十多国的出版人、编辑、文学评论家前往中国，与中国作家、出版社、书店、学者，以及文学爱好者会面，商讨如何帮助中国文学走向世界，为世界开创更多更好的文学共享平台，以此促进彼此的理解与人类的和平；并号召他的签约作家，以及合作出版社向母爱桥国际图书馆捐赠书籍，为乡村小学的老师提供帮助。
母爱桥的四年开篇：从无知到认知，从探索到建制，从信念走向了行动！感谢每一位与MBL开天辟地搭桥铺路的志愿者。也许，有的志愿者被生活与事业推向了远方，但我们能够感受到彼此的勉励和相望。感恩曾经的同愿同行，期待再次携手并肩为您的，他的，大家的孩子们提供一座更精彩的文化立交桥。
MBL was established on 18 August2004. Since the very first day, hundreds of volunteers from all over the world, including the United Kingdom, China, the United States, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, Denmark, and France, have joined MBL. After receiving training in areas such as public welfare, law, and cultural differences, the board of directors of MBL, along with Meiyee Lim and Wendy Wu from the head office, began to build the three “cultural bridges”.
1. The first version of MBL’s website was built for the exchange of Chinese and foreign cultures, and it attracted the attention of charity groups and media from various countries. Later on, MBL, together with publishers in the UK and the US, co-published a color-printed children's book – “Motherbridge of Love”. Within three months of its publication in 2007, it was included in the Washington Post’s “Best Children's Book” list. Today, it is still the first choice of books for many adoptive families around the world.
In 2007, MBL’s China Volunteer Center successfully organized the “Little Angel Art Troupe” to perform in London, Bath, and Edinburgh while advocating for the Beijing Olympics. The young Chinese artists carried out various cultural activities with local Chinese associations, adoptive families, and primary and secondary schools. They were praised as “angels spreading the word of the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the UK”.
2. MBL actively responded to the United Nations initiative to open the discussion on adoption and help the lost families. We researched and contacted families around the world who had adopted Chinese orphans. We sincerely enquired about the needs of 160,000 (99% of them girls) adopted Chinese children and set up the MBL support system to accompany the adoptees in their search for families and ancestors. We also provided support for cultural activities in the Western communities and schools where the adoptees grew up so that Chinese children can experience and take pride in the richness of Chinese culture from an early age. In doing so, we can also inspire Western families and schoolchildren to gain interest in Chinese culture and the Chinese language.
One of the founders of MBL, author Xinran Xue, had the opportunity to publish her books in various countries and participate in international forums. Taking advantage of that, she visited adoption organizations and families that adopted Chinese orphans in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and many other European countries. Numerous adoptive families told their adopted sons and daughters from China that they have three families: the birth family, the adoptive family, and MBL!
3. MBL launched the “Support Project for Disabled Orphans” and the “International Children’s Library Project”, supporting rural primary schools in impoverished areas of China and helping left-behind children to find their dreams and receive an education so that they can escape from ignorance and poverty. During this period, MBL's president, Toby Eady, organized a mission to China, taking publishers, editors, and literary critics from more than twenty countries to visit China over a three-year period. The mission met with Chinese writers, publishers, bookstores, scholars, and literature enthusiasts, discussing how to help bring Chinese literature to the world and create a worldwide platform for more and better literature sharing, so as to promote mutual understanding and peace among mankind. Toby also called on his contracted authors and partner publishers to donate books to the MBL’s International Library to help teachers in rural primary schools.
In the first four years of MBL, we went from ignorance to awareness, from exploration to establishment, and from belief to action! We wish to express our deepest gratitude to each and every volunteer who helped to build the bridges and paved the way with MBL. Some volunteers may have gone in a different direction because of life and career, but we can still feel your support and care. We are thankful for the companionship we once shared and look forward to working together again to provide an even more wonderful cultural bridge for all our children.
2009-2014 MBL
2009年至2014年是母爱桥的探索、学习、提高的第二阶段，我们的辛勤开拓赢得了海内外广泛的支持与合作。在MBL新一期的董事会与接任总部负责人 Xiaoli的领导下，MBL三座文化立交桥都有了飞跃的发展和升华。
1/首先，母爱桥的中外交流之桥基本完成了从桥墩、引桥到主体的构建，中西两岸的文化使者与收养中国孤儿的家庭，开始过桥走向彼岸，进行实地互访与交流。为了志愿者们能够加盟MBL国际间的项目，母爱桥伦敦总部与英国相关部门联合开办了一年两次的志愿者培训。帮助MBL志愿者学习与理解国际慈善法、家庭与儿童保护法、中西文化差异、以及母爱桥的工作准则，并为志愿者们在文化交流与求职发展的需求中牵线搭桥。
在MBL伦敦总部与南京MBL中国志愿者中心的支持下，英国、澳大利亚、新西兰、挪威、荷兰、丹麦等国家的收养家庭与艺术家分别前往中国，实地感受中国民俗的丰盛，了解中国改革开放的历程与城乡差异，与中国城乡学校的孩子们互动，引导中国学童以绘画、笔友等形式参与国际间的文化艺术活动，启蒙孩子们对世界和平、艺术、文化的兴趣与志向。
在此期间，母爱桥伦敦国际文化活动团队的业绩非凡、令各界合作者赞叹不已：组织与支持中国来访学者与英国剑桥、牛津、政经学院、巴斯等大学和母爱桥志愿者的交流，其中包括中国国家非物质文化遗产名录专家委员会负责人、画家、作家、冯骥才教授，北京传媒大学的于丹教授，北京大学的多位法学教授，以及中华书局，译林、花城等出版人；顾问支持伦敦华语电影节；感召在英的国际金融机构就职的志愿者参加华人赛龙舟的MBL团队；为2012年伦敦书展中国主宾国的系列活动提供双语展会咨询，论坛翻译，以及来访中国作家的安置；母爱桥创建者之一，作家薛欣然应邀在英欧美多国的大学进行客座讲学，鼓励中外学生参与联合国‘口述历史’的采录。
2，2009至2014期间，母爱桥搭建的生养文化之桥得到了国际领养界更多的关注与需求：多国收养组织与家庭开始向MBL敞开心扉寻求帮助，特别是1990’s年代被美国收养的中国女孤向MBL求助，探讨如何面对自己被遗弃的人生，如何在母爱桥的帮助下著书宣传，并在各国之间进行交流与互访；MBL中国志愿者中心帮助收养家庭探亲访祖的项目日渐成效；MBL伦敦总部接待与互访了英国、澳大利亚、新西兰、挪威、荷兰、丹麦等国家的收养家庭，并在多国有中国领养儿童的社区或学校开展华夏文化活动，参与支持多国收养组织的年度聚会；并于2013年起受邀加盟了英国V&A儿童博物馆中国春节的年度庆典。
3，母爱桥历经十年探索与实践之后，MBL贫富互助之桥于2013年开始优化提升MBL国际图书馆项目：在中国城市化与乡村原址变迁的进程中，MBL总部启动了为收养中国孩子的家庭提供收养信息的分析与确认的服务；MBL中国志愿者中心邀请世界领养中国孩子的机构与家庭参与‘Books for Kids（B4K）’活动，以其扩展收养家庭寻根访祖所需的出生地调研与信息网络，以及加大对弃婴与贫困地区留守儿童文化教育的救助力度。值得欣慰的是B4K获得了中国境内诸多中小学与出版社的鼎力支持！作为回报，母爱桥主席，国际文学经纪人托笔*伊迪特邀多国出版界领导加盟了‘中国品特戏剧节’，‘中国出版集团的第五届’‘香山论坛·重庆峰会’，《我和朗朗30年》新书发布，以及2014年由南方周报主办的 ‘南国书香节’。
作为母爱桥十年庆典的献礼，2014年伦敦总部向国际慈善委员会以及MBL在世界各地的志愿者提交了‘母爱桥十年进程的总结与未来项目的规划’。感恩与MBL同愿同行的每位志愿者：因为你们，母爱桥得以成长壮大；因为你们，被母爱桥帮助的中国收养孩子们？得以认知引以自豪的祖国文化；因为你们，被母爱桥救助的留守儿童拥有了书籍、文具、与理想和信念！谢谢您！
From 2009 to 2014, Mother's Bridge of Love (MBL) entered its second phase of exploration, learning, and improvement. During this period, our dedicated efforts have gained extensive support and collaboration, both nationally and internationally. Under the guidance of a new board and the newly appointed head of headquarters, Xiaoli, all three cultural bridges of MBL have undergone substantial development and improvement.
The bridge of cultural exchange between China and foreign countries has made significant strides, progressing from the construction of bridge piers and approach bridges to the completion of the main structure. This advancement has allowed cultural ambassadors from both sides, as well as families who have adopted Chinese orphans, to embark on on-site visits and engage in meaningful exchanges. To facilitate the participation of volunteers in MBL's international projects, MBL London headquarters, in collaboration with relevant departments in the UK, has established biannual volunteer training sessions. These sessions aim to equip MBL volunteers with a comprehensive understanding of international charity laws, family and child protection laws, cultural differences between the East and the West, as well as MBL's working principles. Moreover, these training sessions serve as a bridge for volunteers to fulfill their needs in terms of cultural exchange and career development.
Supported by MBL London headquarters and the MBL China Volunteer Centre in Nanjing, adoptive families and artists from countries such as the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, the Netherlands, and Denmark have had the opportunity to visit China and experience its rich folk customs. They have also gained an understanding of the course of China's reform and opening-up, as well as the differences between urban and rural areas. During their visit, they interacted with children in Chinese urban and rural schools, encouraging their participation in international cultural and artistic activities through painting and pen pal programmers. These initiatives are designed to cultivate children's interest and aspirations in world peace, art, and culture.
During this period, MBL's London International Cultural Activities team achieved extraordinary success, earning praise from collaborators in various fields. They organized and facilitated exchanges between visiting Chinese scholars and prestigious UK universities such as Cambridge, Oxford, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), and the University of Bath. The visiting scholars included several notable figures such as Professor Feng Jicai a contemporary Chinese writer, painter, and director of the Chinese National Intangible Cultural Heritage Expert Committee, Professor Dan Yu from the Communication University of China, professors from Peking University, and publishers from Zhonghua Book Company, Yilin Press, and Flower City Publishing House. MBL also provided advisory support for China International Film Festival London and rallied volunteers working in international financial institutions in the UK to participate in dragon boat races. Additionally, MBL offered bilingual exhibition consultations, forum translations, and accommodation for visiting Chinese writers as part of the series of events for China as the guest of honor at the 2012 London Book Fair. One of the founders of MBL, writer Xinran Xue, was invited to give guest lectures at universities in multiple countries in Europe, the US, and Canada, encouraging Chinese and foreign students to participate in the United Nations Oral History project.
Between 2009 and 2014, MBL experienced a surge in attention and demand from the international adoption community. Adoption organizations and families from all over the world began to seek out MBL for assistance. In particular, Chinese female orphans who had been adopted by families in the United States during the 1990s reached out to MBL for help. They discussed how to cope with their abandoned pasts and how to share their stories with the help of MBL. These adoptees also engaged in visits and exchanges with other countries. The MBL China Volunteer Centre achieved success in facilitating visits for adoptive families to their children's birthplaces. Meanwhile, MBL's London headquarters received adoptive families from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, the Netherlands, and Denmark. They organized Chinese cultural activities in communities and schools where Chinese adopted children lived, and participated in annual gatherings of adoption organizations. In 2013, MBL was invited to participate in the annual Chinese New Year celebration at Young V&A in the UK.
In 2013, after a decade of exploration and practice, MBL embarked on a mission to optimize and enhance the MBL International Library project. With urbanization and changes in rural areas progressing in China, MBL headquarters recognized the need to provide analysis and confirmation of adoption information for families adopting Chinese children. To achieve this, the MBL China Volunteer Centre reached out to organizations and families worldwide who have adopted Chinese children, inviting them to participate in the 'Books for Kids (B4K)' initiative. The primary objective of B4K was to expand the research and information network available to adoptive families, enabling them to trace their roots and ancestral homes. Additionally, the initiative aimed to increase support for cultural education among abandoned infants and children in impoverished areas. It is truly heartening to witness the overwhelming support B4K has received from numerous primary and secondary schools, as well as publishing houses throughout China. As a token of gratitude, MBL chairman, international literary agent Toby Eady, extended invitations to leaders from the publishing industry across different countries. They were invited to participate in significant events such as the 'China Harold Pinter Festival', the China Publishing Group's Fifth 'Xiangshan Forum · Chongqing Summit the book release of 'My 30 Years with the pianist Lang Lang', and the 'South China Book Festival' hosted by Southern Weekly in 2014.
In honor of the ten-year anniversary of MBL, the London headquarters prepared a comprehensive report outlining the progress made over the past decade and future project plans. This report was submitted to both the International Charity Committee and MBL volunteers worldwide. We are immensely grateful for the unwavering commitment and dedication of every MBL volunteer. It is because of your tireless efforts that MBL has flourished and achieved remarkable growth. Thanks to you, Chinese adopted children who have received assistance from MBL can now embrace their cultural heritage with pride. Your contributions have made it possible for these children to connect with their roots and maintain a strong sense of identity. Moreover, because of your involvement, MBL has been able to provide support to left-behind children, ensuring they have access to essential resources such as books, stationery, and nurturing ideals and beliefs. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you. Your dedication has made a difference, and we are truly thankful for your invaluable contributions.
2015 – 2019 MBL
2015至2019期间，母爱桥在与国际公益机构合作的需求增多，以及多媒体高科技的影响下，进入了第三阶段的学习与提升：更新网站，拓展MBL多媒体平台；巩固发展与世界收养机构和家庭之间的线下互动；深入在华留儿童守现状的调研，增加B4K项目中的资助；深化志愿者领导团队的培训，为MBL未来领军者提供在国际间文化交流的实践机遇。
母爱桥伦敦团队在此期间与志愿者中心联合组织了多项中西学生的互访，并与多国公益组织联手举办了中西文化交流活动，参与者有英国、美国、澳大利亚、新西兰、和挪威等国。中国多所小学应邀参加了英国文学节，中国学童们用中国地图的纸张折叠出上千只小船，写上自己的心语秘密让志愿者带至英国。一位英国艺术家用这些带着中国孩子理想与祝福的小船展装饰了一个剧场的空间，在当地社区与学校引起了巨大反响。MBL在英国V&A儿童博物馆举行的中国春节庆典活动已成为伦敦中国文化节日的亮点。其中：中国民乐舞蹈，中国少数民族儿童服装秀，京剧脸谱与书法，中国算盘与武术的学习，舞狮许愿，中国儿童画竞选等都是西方家庭与孩子们十分热衷的活动。随着MBL文化节目的增添，前来观看与参与的人数也在与年俱增，据V&A儿童博物馆统计，2019年节庆当天，前来联谊的人数接近5千人。
在此期间，在母爱桥搭建的生养之桥上，已有诸多国家的领养机构与家庭在与中国弃婴地区联系交往。随着被领养的中国孩子们长大，越来越多人在母爱桥的指导和帮助下，自发成立互助的社团，并在网上开启各自的论坛，探讨被领养的感受，如何与养父母的家庭坦诚交流领养的经历，以及如何寻找和面对中国的亲身父母的感受。
随着B4K项目的深度进展，MBL中国志愿者中心开始与中国‘字里行间’连锁书店合作，推广城市儿童读书会，感召城市学童加入B4K活动，向中国西南部贫困地区的留守儿童捐赠图书、学习用品、玩具、课堂取暖设备、以及孩子们急需的鞋袜手套等生活用品。而来自世界各地的作家，一些中国出版社，和一些中小学也为西部的乡村小学组织捐赠了一些教学用品。
正在母爱桥蒸蒸日上蓬勃发展时，母爱桥主席托笔*伊迪却于2017年12月24日的平安夜因患癌症去世。依照他的遗愿，母爱桥将他生前用过的英式办公桌椅，以及他办公室收藏的签约作家们的著作，一并运至南京MBL中国志愿者中心，在那里设立了‘母爱桥Toby Eady’图书馆，以此纪念Toby对母爱桥以及中西文化交流所做出的贡献。
From 2015 to 2019, facing the increased demand for cooperation with international charity organizations and the influence of advanced multi-media technologies, MBL entered the third phase of learning and development. We updated the website and expanded MBL’s multimedia platform; furthered in-person interactions with adoption agencies and families around the world; conducted in-depth research on the current situation of left-behind children in China and provided more funds to support the B4K program; improved the training for the leaders of volunteer groups to provide opportunities for future MBL leaders to engage in international cultural exchanges.
During this period, MBL’s London team organized a number of study exchanges between Chinese and Western students with the Volunteer Centre, and various East-West cultural exchange events with charity organizations in many countries, including the UK, the US, Australia, New Zealand, and Norway. A number of primary schools in China were invited to participate in the British Literature Festival. Chinese schoolchildren folded thousands of boats using the map of China and wrote their own secret messages for volunteers to bring to the UK. A British artist decorated a theater space with an exhibition of these boats that carried Chinese children's dreams and blessings, attracting great attention from the local community and schools. MBL’s Chinese New Year celebrations at the Young V&A became a highlight of the Chinese cultural festivals in London. Many of the activities are adorned by Western families and children, such as Chinese Folk Music and Dance, Chinese Ethnic Minority Children's Costume Show, Peking Opera Face Painting and Calligraphy, Chinese Abacus and Martial Arts, Lion Dance and Wish Making, and Chinese Children’s Painting Contest. With MBL launching more cultural programs, the number of people coming to see and participate in the event increased every year. According to the Young V&A, the number of people who came to the event on the 2019 Chinese New Year was close to 5,000.
Meanwhile, through the bridge of birth and adoption built by MBL, adoption agencies and families from many countries made contact with the cities in China where the children were abandoned. As the adopted Chinese children grew up, more and more of them, under the guidance and help of MBL, had spontaneously set up mutual support groups and established their own forums on the Internet to discuss various topics, including their feelings about being adopted, how to communicate openly with adoptive families about their adoption experiences, how to search for their birth parents in China, and what is it like to face them.
As the B4K project progressed, MBL China Volunteer Center began to cooperate with the Chinese bookstore chain, Belencre, to promote children’s book clubs in cities and call on these schoolchildren to join the B4K campaign. Together, we donated books, school supplies, toys, classroom heating equipment, and much-needed shoes, socks, gloves, and other necessities for the left-behind children in poor areas in Southwest China. Authors from all over the world, Chinese publishers, and primary and secondary schools in China have also donated school supplies to rural primary schools and other relevant organizations in western China.
While MBL was thriving and prospering, the president of MBL, Toby Eady, passed away on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2017, due to cancer. In accordance with his wishes, MBL transported the English desk and chair he once used, as well as the collection of books written by contracted authors in his office to the MBL China Volunteer Center in Nanjing, where they set up the “MBL Toby Eady Library” to commemorate Toby’s contributions to MBL and to the exchange of Chinese and Western cultures.
2020-2023 MBL
2020至2022年世界因为新冠疫情而按下了暂停键，人类遭受了1945年二战之后空前的灾难。据世界卫生组织于2022年五月的数据显示，在Covid大流行的三年中，全世界直接或间接相关的死亡人数逾1500 万。在此期间，母爱桥伦敦总部与中国志愿者中心分别参与英国与中国抗疫救助，并为英国养老院捐赠了近千只防疫口罩。
为了坚持母爱桥初心-为海内外华人搭建中西文化交流之桥，迎战Covid19疫情带来的社会撕裂和纷争，建立中西平等对话的平台，为华人抗议歧视亚裔发声，感召年轻人的时代责任意识，母爱桥伦敦团队的领军者何瑞云和陈志浩等志愿者，在巴斯大学历届同传译员的支持下，于2021年4月至2022年9月期间开设了十四期母爱桥网上中英双语文化论坛‘MBL Culture Dialogue’，邀请了英国中国问题专家如Julia Lovell, Martin Jaques, Stephen Perry, Dr YK Kumar，Prof Hugo de Burgh，以及华人精英作家冯唐，吴帆，FT撰稿人何越，语言心理学博士曾飙，和英国金融界中成功的华人女性等访谈嘉宾；来自中国，美国，英国，加拿大，法国，德国，西班牙，匈牙利等国的观众给予论坛高度的评价，在海外华人社会产生了巨大的影响，至今仍有机构向母爱桥申请联办同类文化论坛。同期，母爱桥协助支持了诸多国际间的中外文化论坛，如欧洲议会的中欧关系论坛，美国华人的榆园社和彼岸的文化论坛，联合国有关收养与孤寡的探讨，以及英国全民医疗机构抗疫服务等社会话题的论坛。
2022年8月母爱桥伦敦志愿者在疫情后第一次聚会，两家挪威收养家庭专程赶到伦敦与MBL志愿者团聚。大家彼此祝福安康，共同欢庆母爱桥18岁生日，商议母爱桥的未来计划。
2022年11月MBL与英国富趣思学（FES）和凯谊信（KYX）联盟主办了第一届“英国英中双语朗诵演讲大赛”，在经过三个月的报名培训、初赛、复赛之后，于2022年11月27日在伦敦唐人街的‘中国站China Exchange’进行了决赛与颁奖。参赛者们表现出色，用英语和中文展示了他们的双语才华。首届英国英中双语朗诵演讲大赛的评委会阵容强大：英国著名作家、2006年惠贝瑞图书奖获得者、《赛珍珠传》和《大师马蒂斯》的传记作者希拉里·斯珀林Hilary Spurling女士，英国中国传媒中心的创办人戴雨果Hugo De Burgh教授，英国皇家中央演讲与戏剧学院表演艺术系主任大卫·何森David Henson博士，以及中国站China Exchange首席执行官Freya Aitken-Turff祝芬雅女士，四位将联席出任英文组评委。中文组评委则由伦敦大学亚非学院SOAS东亚系主任教师宋连谊博士，英国社会学者FT中文网专栏作家何越女士，凯谊信国际（KYX）创始人CEO李健，以及中国前中央电视台、香港凤凰卫视记者主持人温迪雅女士联合担任。
2023年第二届英国英中双语朗诵演讲大赛由母爱桥(MBL)、英国富趣思学(FES)、凯谊信(KYX)、伦敦大学亚非学院中国文化社，以及雪漠文化联合主办。本届评委阵容扩至12人，皆为英中文化界领军人物。希拉里·斯珀林女士 Hilary Spurling，大卫·何森博士Dr. David Henson，宋联谊博士Dr. Song Lianyi，温迪雅女士Ms. Diya Wen, 何越女士Ms. He Yue, 以及李健先生 Mr. James Li强势回归，再次担当本届大赛评委。另有更多新评委闪亮登场，包括著名翻译家和汉学家，伦敦大学伯贝克学院（Birkbeck College, University of London）中国文学和文化史教授蓝诗玲Julia Lovell 教授、大英图书馆中国收藏部前负责人吴芳思Frances Wood博士、维多利亚和阿尔伯特博物馆资深研究员，伦敦亚非学院（SOAS）中国与韩国艺术专家，贝斯·麦克奥 Beth McKillop 女士, 以及Kensington Wade英中双语学校校长豪美Huw May先生。中文评委团在保留第一届大赛的精英团队的同时，也将有两位新成员加盟：南威尔士大学（University of South Wales）脑电实验室主任曾彪博士和必臻集团（Blick Rothenerg）税务合伙人，作家和中文杂志编辑曹锦玥女士。第二届英国英中双语朗诵演讲大赛于 2023 年 9 月中旬开始报名，于 2023 年 11 月 19 日在伦敦大学亚非学院 SOAS Djam Lecture Theatre进行决赛。MBL真诚地邀请各界的支持，同愿同行为新一代中英双语公民的崛起共同努力，以此支持西方文化多元化的社区和学校。
为了更好地为成长在27个国家中的被收养的中国弃婴提供切实的服务；为他们解答出生后被遗弃的困惑，以及为他们建立在各国之间被收养者的交流渠道，母爱桥正在积极征询他们的需求，计划在2024年，母爱桥二十周年之际，开启一个网上的对话平台，届时将邀请有关领养的专家学者，以及中国收养和孤儿院等相关机构，在MBL共享平台上聆听被领养者的心声，为他们提供相应领域的知识援助，使得被收养的中国弃婴以此获得更多更切实的关注和支持，为她们独特的人生旅程提供光亮和大爱的支持！
母爱桥的B4K在疫情后重新启动，并获得了英国驻华重庆领事馆和中国作家雪漠和他团队的大力支持。MBL中国志愿者中心正在积极疏通被疫情更变阻塞的救助渠道，以便将书籍、学习用品，以及贫困地区儿童急需的生活用品尽快地送达。时至2023年母爱桥已在华支助了28所乡村小学图书馆，第29个MBL儿童图书馆正在调研筹建中。
2024年是母爱桥的二十年大庆，也是我们再接再厉的新篇章。MBL希望正在调整更新的母爱桥网站能够引导更多的受助者、志愿者、合作者走上母爱桥，同愿同行，走向理解与理想的彼岸。
母爱桥在二十年间滴水成溪，路径成茵。精神，精典，精致是我们做公益的准则。
深谢您的关注，我们期待着您的指导与加盟，携手并肩为海内外的华人孩子提供更多的文化支持！谢谢！感恩您的同愿同行！
From 2020 to 2022, the COVID-19 pandemic brought the world to a virtual standstill, and humans suffered a disaster on a scale not seen since the end of WWII. According to data revealed by WHO in May 2022, the number of deaths worldwide directly or indirectly related to the 3-year-pandemic reached 15 million. During these challenging moments, in the UK and China respectively, the London headquarters of The Mothers’ Love Bridge (MBL) and the China Volunteer Center participated in pandemic relief and donated nearly a thousand medical face masks to British nursing homes.
In order to keep the founding purpose of MBL - building a bridge for cultural exchanges between China and the West for Chinese at home and abroad, in the face of the social divides and disputes caused by the pandemic, we diligently established a platform for equal dialogue between China and the West, to protest against discrimination towards Asians, and to inspire young people’s mindset of responsibility and awareness of our time. With the help and support of simultaneous interpreters from the University of Bath and two of our leading volunteers, He Ruiyun and Chen Zhihao, among others, opened fourteen sessions of the online bilingual cultural forum, namely the 'MBL Culture Dialogue' from April 2021 to September 2022. We invited and interviewed British experts on China issues such as Julia Lovell, Martin Jaques, Stephen Perry, Dr. YK Kumar, Prof Hugo de Burgh, as well as elite Chinese writers Feng Tang, Wu Fan, He Yue (author of FT), Zeng Biao (doctor of linguistic psychology) as well as women with great career success in the financial world of the UK. These efforts gained praise among our audiences from various countries, including China, the US, the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Spain, Hungary, etc. We also had significant influence upon Chinese societies overseas. In fact, there are still organizations approaching MBL to co-host similar cultural events. During the same period, we also assisted and supported many international cultural forums targeting the exchange between China and other countries, such as the China-EU Relations Forum of the European Parliament, the Yuyuan Society and the Cultural Forum on the Other Side by American Chinese, the discussions on adoption and orphans by the UN, and the pandemic forum for social services by the NHS.
In August 2022, MBL’s volunteers in London had their first post-pandemic reunion. Two Norwegian adoptive families made a special trip to London to reunite with the volunteers. Everyone celebrated the 18th birthday of MBL, and discussed its future development plans.
In November 2022, together with Fusion Education (FES) and KYX International (KYX), MBL co-hosted the first "UK English-Chinese Bilingual Recitation Competition". After three months of registration, volunteer training, preliminary competition and semi-finals, the finals and awards ceremony were held on November 27, 2022 at China Exchange in Chinatown, London. The participants fully demonstrated their linguistic talents in both English and Chinese. The judge panel of the competition was also extraordinary, including Hilary Sperling, a famous British writer, the winner of the 2006 Whitbread Prize, and author of "Between two worlds: A Story about Pearl Buck by Barbara Mitchell." and "Matisse the Master". The judges also included Professor Hugo De Burgh, founder of the China Media Center in the UK, Dr. David Henson, Head of the Department of Performing Arts at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, and Freya Aitken-Turff, CEO of China Exchange. Four of them judged the English recitations, while for the Chinese part, Dr. Song Lianyi, head teacher of the Department of East Asia, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in the University of London; He Yue, British sociologist as well as columnist of the FT Chinese website; James Li, founder and CEO of KYX International; and Wen Diya, former CCTV and Phoenix TV (Hong Kong) reporter all served as judges.
The 2nd UK English-Chinese Bilingual Recitation Competition in 2023 is co-hosted by MBL, FES, KYX, Chinese Culture Community of SOAS, University of London, and Xue Mo Culture. This year’s judge panel has expanded to a team of 12, of which all members are leading figures in both the UK and China. Ms. Hilary Spurling, Dr. David Henson, Dr. Song Lianyi, Ms. Diya Wen, Ms. He Yue, and Mr. James Li will once again serve as judges, while new panel members include Professor Julia Lovell, the well-known translator and sinologist as well as Professor of Chinese Literature and Cultural History at Birkbeck College, University of London; Dr. Frances Wood, chief of Chinese Collections at the British Library; Beth McKillop, former deputy, senior fellow at the Victoria and Albert Museum and an expert on Chinese and Korean art at SOAS; and Huw May, the principal of Kensington Wade English-Chinese Bilingual School. While retaining the panel members of the last competition, the Chinese judge panel will also have two new members: Dr. Zeng Biao, director of the EEG Laboratory at the University of South Wales, and Cao Jinyue, tax director of Blick Rothenerg Partner, writer and Chinese magazine editor. The Competition opened registration in mid-September 2023, and the final will be held on November 19, 2023 at the Djam Lecture Theatre at SOAS in London. MBL sincerely invites support from people of all walks of life and is willing to work together for the rise of a new generation of Chinese-English bilingual citizens, thereby fostering communities and schools with diverse cultures in the West.
In order to provide practical services to adopted Chinese children growing up in 27 countries; to address the confusions related to their abandonment after birth, and to establish communication channels for adoptees between various places, as well as to mark its 20th anniversary, MBL is actively soliciting their needs and planning to open an online dialogue platform in 2024. We will invite experts and scholars on adoption, as well as Chinese adoption institutions and orphanages, to raise their voices for the adoptees on our platform and provide them with knowledge and assistance in corresponding fields. This will enable these formerly abandoned children to receive more practical attention and support, providing brightness and love for their unique life journey!
MBL's B4K was relaunched after the pandemic and received strong support from the British Consulate in Chongqing, China, as well as from the Chinese writer Xue Mo and his team. MBL’s China Volunteer Center is actively unblocking relief channels hampered by the changes during the pandemic in order to deliver books, school supplies, and urgently needed daily necessities to children in poverty-stricken areas. As of 2023, MBL has supported 28 rural primary school libraries in China, and the 29th MBL children's library is under planning and preparation.
2024 is the 20th anniversary of MBL, and it is also a new chapter for us to continue our efforts. MBL hopes our website, which is being adjusted and updated, can guide more recipients, volunteers, and collaborators to walk on our bridge of love, with the same aspirations, and move towards mutual understanding and fulfillment.
Over the past 20 years, tiny drops from the contributions of MBL have turned into a stream, and its path has already been covered with grass. Morale, elegance and sophistication are our principles for doing charity. We would like to extend our gratitude to all our supporters for caring for us. We look forward to working hand in hand with you in order to provide more cultural support for Chinese children at home and abroad!