The opening ceremony of the Guangzhou Volunteer News Agency was held in the Guangdong University of Foreign Studies in the University Town on May 22. The first session has recruited 108 members, all of whom are  college volunteers skilled in editing, writing, photography or designing. Choosing the websites of the Guangzhou Youth Volunteer Times and the Guangzhou Young Volunteers Association as its news channels, the wire service will document, promote and report volunteer activities in the city while providing up-to-date information about volunteer services to the media.

So far, more than 620,000 people have joined volunteer events, their total service time exceeding 500 million hours. But due to inadequate media coverage, many residents haven't the faintest idea about such activities, some of whom don't even know how to join the volunteers association. To address this problem, the Guangzhou Young Volunteers Association and college communications departments have jointly set up this news agency.

For the next step, the secretary of the association will invite famous editors, journalists and designers from Guangzhou's media to host special training courses for the members of the agency. Reporters, experts and scholars from major newspapers, TV stations and universities will also be invited to join the advisory committee of the agency.

Editor: Yan