On September 29, New York, during the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Li Yiling, the chairman of the UCT Cultural Development Center in New York, had a meeting with Monica Chakwera, the First Lady of Malawi, an African country in the southeast, and successfully signed an education and cultural exchange cooperation agreement.

The two sides had a one-hour exchange during the meeting on September 23, discussing in depth how to support girls' education in Malawi and future economic, cultural, and artistic cooperation. They also discussed the specific implementation of education and cultural exchange projects. Li Yiling said that the UCT Cultural Development Center would initiate educational and cultural exchange projects to provide young people in Malawi and other countries with opportunities to participate in cultural and educational initiatives. Monica Chakwera welcomed this form of partnership and said that through her Shape Our Future Foundation, it could bring great benefits to young people. Monica Chakwera praised the education and cultural exchange projects proposed by the UCT Cultural Development Center and said that Malawi has unique cultural traditions and values, so it needs to cooperate with international organizations.

After the meeting, both sides exchanged gifts. Chairman Li Yiling presented a calligraphy scroll of "peace" by Li Guodong and four tapestries with the theme of "fu" to the First Lady and her country, symbolizing the hope that under the leadership of the First Lady's husband, the President, the Republic of Malawi will develop peacefully and enjoy happiness and well-being. The First Lady of Malawi, Monica Chakwera, also presented handmade Malawi maps and other Malawian handicrafts to the UCT Cultural Center and Chairman Li Yiling.

A week after the meeting, on September 29, the two sides held a formal signing ceremony and signed a memorandum of cooperation, marking the official start of their cooperation. This cooperation will inject new vitality into girls' education and economic and cultural development in Malawi and make meaningful contributions to the long-term development of Malawi.

The UCT Cultural Development Center is a non-profit organization founded in 2003 and later obtained special consultative status certification from the United Nations Economic and Social Council. The center's activities aim to promote friendship and peace among different cultures, address economic and social issues, and focus on achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This cooperation with Malawi to carry out education and cultural exchange projects to support girls' education in Malawi and promote economic, cultural, and artistic exchanges between Malawi and the outside world is also one of the center's projects to promote sustainable development goals over the years.

On the 19th of this month, at the Sustainable Development Goals High-Level Elite Forum and Awards Ceremony held in the DC2 1143 conference hall of the United Nations Building, Li Yiling presented the Outstanding Contribution Award to Monica Chakwera to recognize her outstanding contributions to girls' education in Malawi. Li Yiling expressed her deep impression of Monica Chakwera's work and said that both sides would work together to address the challenges faced by young people through education and cultural initiatives and improve the living standards of women and young people.

Since 2015, the UCT Cultural Development Center has continuously organized high-level forums and award ceremonies on sustainable development goals, inviting the Permanent Mission of the African Union to the United Nations and other non-profit non-governmental organizations to jointly organize the event. This event brings together outstanding guests from international politicians, culture, art, business representatives, and social activists to explore in depth how to promote the implementation of the 17 sustainable development goals of the United Nations and the key role of art and culture in promoting the achievement of the SDGs. Previous awardees include Mohamed Bandi, the President of the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly, ambassadors from various countries, members of different royal families, members of the US Congress, and elites from various industries.

The Republic of Malawi, simply referred to as Malawi, is an inland country in the southeast of Africa surrounded by Tanzania, Mozambique, and Zambia. Malawi owes its name to Lake Malawi, the third-largest lake in Africa, with an area of 30,000 square kilometers and a maximum depth of over 700 meters. It is home to many unique freshwater fish species in the world. With a land area of 118,484 square kilometers and a population of 19.6 million, the current President of Malawi, Lazarus Chakwera, was sworn in on June 2020 for a five-year term.