London: On Wednesday, December 10, 2025, at 11:15 a.m., Westminster Abbey held a grand Advent Christian witness celebration service. Leaders from the UK and international church communities came together to celebrate Advent, remember the promises of Jesus Christ, and pray for the coming of His righteous and peaceful kingdom.
The ceremony opened with solemn ceremonial music, symbolizing the purple decoration and candlelight of the Advent to create an atmosphere of anticipation and hope. Attendees included church leaders, interfaith delegates, and charities from the UK, Europe, and the Middle East, demonstrating the spirit of solidarity and cooperation across diverse faiths and social backgrounds. The British Chinese Information and Consultation Centre (CIAC) invited Chinese community leaders and volunteers to attend the celebration.
The King has attended a Westminster Abbey service to highlight the experience of persecuted Christians around the world.
King Charles has joined a group of senior Christian clerics for an annual Advent service at Westminster Abbey.
The Monarch joined church members from the UK and the Middle East to celebrate “light, hope and, above all, the peace of this season.” The King Charles attended the service at the iconic London church, where worshippers from congregations across the country gathered to mark the approach of Christmas.
In a foreword to the official order of service, the King, who is a committed Anglican Christian and head of the Church of England, said: “It is a great joy to gather with you in the most glorious setting of Westminster Abbey as we celebrate the light, hope and, above all, the peace of this season of Advent.
On November 22th, 2025, a special event for the Hanzi of the West, Letters of the East was held at the Also like Gallery in London exploring the evolution of Chinese characters and their role in cultural exchange between China and the West.
Chinese characters, known in Mandarin Chinese as Hanzi, have been an important carrier of Chinese civilization. Evolving over thousands of years, they are not only deeply rooted in the daily life of Chinese, but also constantly break boundaries through exchanging information and ideas between civilisations.
The exhibition was jointly sponsored by Tongji University and Art and Design Magazine, opening at the Also like Gallery in London from November 19th to 23rd.
More than 100 original Chinese character themed works with historical and cultural heritage and innovative design concepts were displayed in the exhibition. They included everything from book binding, special costumes, and art installations to creative cultural products.
Li Liyan, Minister Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in the United Kingdom, speaking at the event.
At the beginning of the special event on November 22nd, Li Liyan, Minister Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in the United Kingdom, delivered a speech. He said, “Writing is the carrier of in heriting civilization, and language is abridge to enhance understanding. Chinese belongs not only to China, but also to the world, and is a public cultural product contributed by the Chinese people to all mankind. He also emphasized: “This exhibition is the result of exchanges between China and the United Kingdom…promoting the continuous deepening of mutual learning and people-to-people interaction between China and the UK with culture and creativity as a link.”
This exhibition focuses on the concept of Dialogue between Chinese Characters and Letters with four sections of “Wenyuan Yinghua“, “Opening China“, “Rhyming Chinese Characters“ and “Chinese Character Renewal“. The exhibition incorporated immersive space, creative installations and design works which reflect the cultural heritage and visual tension of Chinese characters. Among them, “Wenyuan Yinghua” presents the origin and evolution of Chinese characters, looking back at the indissoluble bond between characters and Sino-British cultural exchanges.
Meanwhile, “Open China” focuses on the graphic expression of Chinese characters in contemporary book design, showing how fonts and typography have become the cultural key to opening China. The “Rhyme Chinese Characters” section integrates Chinese character elements into the design of daily clothing, accessories and crafts, showing how the beauty of words extends to the details of life in a figurative form. Finally, the “Chinese character renewal“ is facing the future and explores the resonance trajectory of Chinese characters in the context of numbers and interaction.
Today on White Ribbon Day, we’re reminded that ending violence against women is not a “women’s issue.” It’s a community issue, a national issue, and a responsibility we all share.
Violence steals safety, freedom, and dignity, no one should have to fight for those things. Safety is not a privilege. It is a right. Justice is not optional. It is long overdue. Respect is not symbolic. It means action, accountability, and real change.
Women and girls deserve to live in a world where they are protected, believed, and valued. And when we work to create that world, we strengthen every part of our society.
Today, we choose to listen. We choose to speak up. We choose to stand with women and girls, not just in words, but in the everyday choices that make our communities safer and more equal.
A better world for women and girls is a better world for everyone.
