It is with deep regret that we announce the passing of our friend and colleague, Professor Zhang Wanhong, on June 29, 2024, at the age of 49.
The friendship and close collaboration between PILnet and Professor Zhang Wanhong lasted for over two decades. Our collaboration was first sparked when he was inspired by PILI (now PILnet) and the development law movement in Southeast Asian countries to establish the Public Interest and Development Law Institute (PIDLI) at Wuhan University, which soon became a leading organization for research and advocacy on public interest law, access to justice, and legal empowerment in China. And our friendship blossomed when he worked as a senior consultant with the PILnet Beijing office and provided invaluable support for our efforts to build a vibrant network of public interest law practitioners in China.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, PILnet launched a new project for a regional course on public interest lawyering for young professionals across Asia. Professor Zhang again assisted our efforts by kindly accepting our invitation to speak in the first session on Access to Justice, for three successful editions of the course. During the session, he generously shared the experiences of Chinese public interest lawyers in promoting the rights of people with disabilities, and then encouraging the diverse audience, including some working in challenging environments, to be patient but persistent. He was generous, professional and kind in every interaction, sharing his knowledge with grace, clarity and focus, blessing hundreds of participants in the course.
He was a humble and hardworking scholar, dedicated to introducing the new concepts of international human rights law to China and to bringing China’s experience to regional and international fora. He will be greatly missed as a dear colleague, partner and friend.
