Last June, we took part in the Dragon Boat Race organised by London Chinatown Lions Club and competed with 43 other boats, coming in the top 10 and within a few seconds of being in the final 3! We raced as the Democracy Dragons -- Min Zhu Loong (民主龙), with our Chair Cllr Linda Chung, as the drummer setting the pace for our 16 rowers.
For the third year running, the Chinese Lib Dems set up a stall at the annual Dragon Boat Race at the Royal Albert Docks and joined in the festivities to raise funds for various Chinese community charities. It was also an opportunity to fly the Lib Dem flag and race as the 'Democracy Dragons' alongside about 40 other boats including teams from the Chinese Embassy, Hongkong University Alumni and the British Chinese Group. At the drums this year was Farid Ahmed, Parliamentary Candidate for Walthamstowe who set the pace for the 16 rowers. Lib Dem Cllr Faruque Ansari, Mayor of Camden also attended the event as one of the VIP guests.
The representation of Black and other minority ethnic (BAME) women at every level of governance from the Houses of Parliament to local government is woefully low. Of the 646 MPs in Westminster, two are BAME women and out of 20,000 Councillors, 149 are BME women, representing less than 1% of Councillors nationally.
At a Black History Month reception at the House of Commons on 22nd October, we saw the launch of the Operation Black Vote Mentoring scheme for black and ethnic minority women councillors.
Chinese Liberal Democrats participated in their Party's Federal Conference in Bournemouth this year and celebrated with a bang. On Monday 21st September, they held their 3rd birthday dinner at the Ocean Palace Restaurant with special guests Lord Paddy Ashdown and Michael Moore MP (Shadow International Development Secretary).
Friends and Members of Chinese Liberal Democrats are invited to Bournemouth to the Party's bi-annual Federal Conference.
