On the 25^th September Renmin University of China (RUC) held a celebratory event to mark the retirement of staff as well as the autumnal calendar days of Teacher’s Day, Mid-Autumn Festival and the Double-Ninth Festival, a festival traditionally devoted to celebrating the lives of seniors. RUC Party Secretary JIN Nuo, President LIU Wei, Executive Deputy Party Committee Secretary ZHANG Jianming, acting Vice-President WANG Liming, Vice-Presidents HE Yaomin, WU Xiaoqiu, LIU Yuanchun and other members of leadership from RUC were in attendance, along with honorary first-class professors, first class professors, representatives of retired staff, representatives of staff with a work history of thirty years and above, as well as representatives of political parties, and members of retired staff who joined in warm conversation. The event was chaired by Party Secretary JIN Nuo. LIU Wei offered festive greetings to the group that included senior and retired professors, leadership staff and colleagues, and introduced some of RUC’s recent events, such as the 80^th anniversary of the founding of the school, and the development of the talent, teaching staff, campus facilities, party and political thought affairs. LIU Wei commended the senior and retired staff, without whose contributions these achievements would not have been possible. He expressed the hope that the senior staff would continue to support the school’s onward development and progress in new and changing times. WU Xiaoqiu spoke of the staff that were taking their retirement, stating that the ceremony was being held to openly and formally express the school’s gratitude for the reiring staff’s contributions and efforts towards the school’s progress. He hoped that this act will effectively express the school’s concern and gratitude towards its respected members of staff. JIN Nuo and LIU Wei presented commemorative plaques to the retiring staff whilst student represntatives presented them with bouquets of flowers. Honoured Retiree ZHOU Shi thanked the school for the ceremony and the feelings it expressed, as a long-term member of staff with over forty years of service to the school, he described the progress he had witnessed over the years and his continued concern and hope for the school’s future achievements. Honoured Retiree PEI Sheng also expressed his gratitude for the concern received from the school, as an alumnus and member of RUC staff , making his home at RUC for forty years, he was more than willing to contribute whatever he could for the continued development of RUC. JIN Nuo wrapped up proceedings with a reminder of the staff and students' commitment to realising recent political instructions, including comments made personally from XI Jinping in his congratulatory letter to RUC on the anniversary of its founding. At the fortieth year after the Opening up which is also 40years after the restoration of RUC, we are at a critical moment in the school’s history, an important opportunity for development that might be seized along with the invaluable help and assistance of RUC’s senior staff body.