A skilled embroidery artist from Daye County, central China's Hubei Province, has been revitalizing the traditional art through online and offline training programs that have enabled many local residents to use the craft, helping them secure jobs and even start their own businesses.
Liu Xiaohong, a skilled embroidery artist, began learning the traditional Daye Embroidery - a recognized provincial intangible cultural heritage from the southeastern region of Hubei - from her grandmother at the age of 12.
Traditionally used in daily clothing, Daye Embroidery caught Liu's attention during a trip to Beijing over 20 years ago, where she discovered that embroidery artworks could fetch surprisingly high prices, prompting her to reassess the modern value of this ancient craft.
"I took my embroidered works to a market in Huangshi. Back then, one piece could sell for several hundred yuan. And a screen could fetch as much as 800 yuan (about 117 U.S. dollars), which greatly inspired me," said Liu.
Liu boldly innovated and developed four new embroidery techniques. Her pieces have won awards at national and provincial embroidery skills competitions. In recent years, she set up an online brand, which integrates popular trends into embroidered products, and gained over 300,000 followers on online platforms by uploading free tutorial videos.
"Through online platforms, our annual sales revenue has hit nearly 2 million yuan (about 280,000 U.S. dollars)," said Liu.
In order to help more people earn a living through embroidery, the local government supported Liu to establish a handicraft skills training school, which has so far trained over 10,000 students. Thanks to the promotion of Liu's embroidery brand, more than 2,000 women in Daye city have either found employment or started their own small businesses through embroidery.
Chinese embroidery artist helps increase locals' income in Hubei
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) passed a non-binding resolution on Wednesday demanding an end to Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory within the next 12 months by an overwhelming margin.
The resolution was adopted with 124 votes in favor, 14 against and 43 abstentions, during the UNGA's 10th emergency special session considering Israeli actions in occupied East Jerusalem and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
The resolution demanding that Israel comply with all its legal obligations under international law, including advisory opinions by the International Court of Justice, was introduced by the State of Palestine on Tuesday and was co-sponsored by more than two dozen nations.
By the newly adopted resolution, the UNGA "demands that Israel brings to an end without delay its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which constitutes a wrongful act of a continuing character entailing its international responsibility and do so no later than 12 months from the adoption of the present resolution."
The UNGA also demands that Israel comply without delay with all its legal obligations under international law, including as stipulated by the International Court of Justice.
In remarks before the vote, Mohamed Issa Abushahab, the permanent representative of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations, said the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza must be addressed through unimpeded access to those in need, a ceasefire deal and the full implementation of all related Security Council resolutions.
A credible peace process must be relaunched to work towards a two-State solution to diffuse this conflict, he said, expressing support for the State of Palestine's full statehood and UN membership. "The time has come to end the suffering," he noted.
Introducing the draft resolution on Tuesday, Riyad Mansour, the permanent observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, called for the establishment of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
He said the Palestinian people have been steadfast in the pursuit of their inalienable rights, just like all other citizens worldwide who seek self-determination.
"The Palestinians want to live, not survive -- they want to be safe in their homes, they want their children to go to school without fear. They want to be free in reality as they are in spirit," said Mansour.
UNGA calls for end to Israeli occupation in Palestine within a year
UNGA calls for end to Israeli occupation in Palestine within a year
