THE 21ST CENTURY FORUM OF INTERNATIONAL LAW SCHOOL DEANS AND CELEBRATION CEREMONY OF THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF RENMIN UNIVERSITY OF CHINA LAW SCHOOL

 

 

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In Dec. 3rd, 2000.
History will remember this day forever.
This day was the 50th anniversary of Renmin University of China Law School.

A delightful and festive atmosphere filled the solemn, grand assembly hall of Great Hall of the People in Beijing on this day. The 21st Century Forum of International Law School Deans and the celebration ceremony of the 50th anniversary of Renmin University of China Law School was held here, with attendees including teachers, students and schoolmates of Renmin University of China Law School, scholars and deans of 132 well-known law schools from all over the world.

The grand meeting of worldwide scholars was unprecedented:

Deans of the most-famous law schools from five continents, H.K., Macao and Mainland China attended the meeting.

More than 4,000 alumni from 32 provinces, municipalities directly under the Central Government and autonomous regions of China, including Taiwan, as well as H.K. and Macao, met in the solemn, grand assembly hall of Great Hall of the People.

10 national leaders, 40 ministers and vice-ministers, led by Li Peng, Standing Member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of CPC, Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, attended the meeting.

It took only 20 minutes for 85 spacious buses, with police escort, to arrive at the Great Hall of the People safely, along two 15-kilometer-long lanes specially reserved for the fleet from Remin University to the Great Hall of the People.

Record-breaking news was reported: the forum and celebration ceremony was televised in a 30-minute-long CCTV National News Broadcast for almost 5 minutes. Central newspapers, such as People Daily, overseas edition of People Daily, Guangming Daily, Legal Daily published the news story of the Xinhua News Agency as headline making news in the front page. Tens of media organs, such as Central National Radio, Chinese Radio International, CETV, BTV, China Youth Daily, Beijing Youth Daily, Beijing Morning, Beijing Evening, as well as TV stations and newspapers from H.K. and Macao, continuously reported it.

In a world scale it was the first time in China that such an international jurist academic meeting of this size, level and influence was held.

On entering the assembly hall of Great Hall of the People, one could see 50 2-meter-high baskets of fresh flowers presented by domestic partner universities and judicial departments, as well as by famous law schools overseas, with the intent to celebrate the 50th anniversary. Beautiful, fresh flowers of different colors symbolized a better and brighter future of Renmin University of China Law School. A solemn emblem of the meeting was hung on the rostrum, with ?950-2000?on both sides, and a banner with the words "The 21st Century Forum of International Law School Deans and Celebration Ceremony of the 50th anniversary of Renmin University of China Law School" was hung on the top of rostrum. The banner with the words "Holding high the great banner of Deng Xiaoping's Theory, establishing a first-class law school of the world, a striving for the construction of a socialistic country under the rule of law" hung over the opposite side of the meeting hall. This expressed the wishes of all teachers and students of Renmin University of China Law School.

Party and country leaders attending the meeting included Li Peng, Standing Member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee; Luo Gan, Member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the CPC, State Councilor, Secretary of the Commission of Politics and Law of the CPC Central Committee; Jiang Chunyun, Member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the CPC, Vice Chairman of NPC Standing Committee; Xiao Yang, President and Chief Justice of the Supreme People's Court; Han Zhubin, Procurator General of the Supreme People's Procuratorate,Prime Grand Procurator of China; Ren Jianxin, Vice Chairman of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference(CPPCC); Zhang Siqing, Luo Haocai and so on. Leaders attending the meeting also included 40 ministers and vice-ministers of Legislative, Judicial, Education and Administrative Departments.

Li Peng delivered a high spirited speech in the meeting. Firstly, he expressed congratulations to the meeting on behalf of Chinese people. He then gave cordial regards to the legal educators throughout the country, teacher, students of Renmin University of China Law School. He paid enthusiastic welcome to the jurists from famous universities throughout the world. He indicated that, the grand meeting held in China showed the great achievements of legal construction in China , and had fixed the world's eyes, It showed that international influences of Chinese legal education and research had increasingly magnified, and that the world had paid great attention to the construction of a socialistic country ruled by law in China. He believed that the grand meeting would surely make greater contributions to the development of the world's legal culture in the new century.

He also pointed out that, Renmin University of China was a famous university focused on humanities, social science, law, economics and management science,It had developed under lasting support and care of the Party Central Committee and Central Government from the founding period to development period. During the last 50 years, Renmin University of China Law School, as one of the first group of regular higher institutions of legal education established after the new China founded, has trained a great number of elitists for legal education and research as well as legislative and judicial departments. During the past 50 years, teachers of Renmin University of China Law School have actively participated in the legislative and judicial constructions of the country, and have paid positive contributions to the economic construction and social development of the country, especially to the reforms of political system and construction of democracy and law.

He said: "To realize modernization, China needs several first-class universities of an internationally advanced level. We are glad to see that Renmin University of China Law School is striving for such an aim, and has already achieved it. We should continually make great efforts. Teachers and students of the Law School thanked Li Peng's encouragement with prolonged approval. They are determined to establish a first-class law school in the world according to the Party Central Committee's strong expectations. They intend to pay greater contributions to the development of legal culture for China and the world as well.

Prof. Ji Baocheng, President of Renmin University of China, pointed out that, the forum was a grand meeting of the global legal education field; an international grand meeting indicating that Chinese higher education has entered into a new century. The grand meeting exhibited the achievements of construction and development of Renmin University of China and Renmin University of China Law School. Prof. Ji formally proposed that the Forum of International Law School Deans be held once every two or three years, as sponsored by the countries of five continents in turn.

Prof. Zeng Xianyi, Dean of Renmin University of China Law School and Chairman of National Guidance Commission on Higher Legal Education under the Ministry of Education, pointed out in an opening address that, the School of Law of RUC has undergone 50 years of development. During this time it has become first regular higher institution of legal education established after the founding of new China. It can be regarded as an epitome of the development of new China's legal education. For 50 years, all teachers of Renmin University of China Law School, in all their strength, devoted themselves to the development of legal education in the country. They have trained over 10,000 doctors, masters, undergraduates, high-level judge students and students abroad all majoring in law. They have trained 300,000 correspondence students and graduate students, published over 1,000 academic books at home and overseas. They have published thousands of academic papers, and established comprehensive academic exchange and cooperation relationship with famous universities in countries of five continents. While feeling gratified with the development of the Law School, we can never forget that it is opening-up of the country, as well as the atmosphere of "administering the country according to law, constructing a socialistic country ruled by law" that creates the conditions and opportunities for development of our school; we can never forget the care and support given by the leaders of the country, central and local government offices; never forget the struggle and trial of those pioneers, live or dead, never forget sacrifices and dedication of generations of teachers who faced personal frustrations and extremely difficult conditions; never forget the passion and kindness given to our Alma Mater by schoolfellows; never forget the pure-hearted support, assistance, understanding and friendship of domestic or foreign higher schools and friends. This forum would surely contribute to improving legal education and research, and to promoting legal construction of each country.

Five representatives from the deans of famous law schools of five continents, a representative of famous law schools deans of China, a representative of Renmin University of China Law School faculty, an alumnus representative, a student representative made speeches at the meeting.

The leaders of the country awarded honorary certificates to 12 senior professors that had been in the faculty of Renmin University of China Law School for 50 years.

Argentina President and Honorary Doctor of Law of Renmin University of China, Fernando de La Rua,the Supreme People's Court of PRC,the Ministry of Justice, numerous famous domestic and foreign universities and law schools sent congratulatory telegraphs or letters to this meeting.

In the evening, scholars and deans of 132 well-known law schools from five continents of the world enjoyed a brilliant theatrical party by the Youth Traditional Instruments Orchestra of Renmin University of China and Students Art Ensemble of the Law School in music hall of Zhongshan Park.

“21st Century Forum of International Law School Deans” opened ceremoniously in Yifu Conference Center of Renmin University of China.

Branch of the Forum: International Symposium on “Consititutionalism and Human Rights”chaired by Prof. Hu Jinguan.

Branch of the Forum: International Symposium on “Judicial Reforms”chaired by Prof. Chen Weidong.

Branch of the Forum: Sino-British Symposium on Marriage and Family Law chaired by Prof. Long Yifei.

Branch of the Forum: International Symposium on Economic Law in Contemporary Times chaired by Prof. Shi Jichun.

Branch of the Forum : Symposium on clinical Legal Education and Reforming the Legal Education in 21st Century chaired by Prof. Zhen Zhen.