PARIS, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, sent a congratulatory message to the award ceremony held here Friday for the fourth United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Prize for Girls' and Women's Education.

Peng, who is also a UNESCO special envoy for the advancement of girls' and women's education, expressed warm congratulations to the laureates of this year's prize -- Costa Rica's Sula Batsu association, a non-governmental educational institute, and the Department of Education of the Government of Navarre of Spain.

In the message, Peng said that empowering every girl and woman with equal and high-quality education is an important part to realize the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and it also serves as the common goal of China and UNESCO.

For the past 70 years since the founding of the People's Republic of China, girls' and women's education has made great achievements, giving a big push to China's social development and progress, she said.

Jointly established by China and UNESCO, the prize is playing an increasingly important role in publicizing and sharing outstanding experience of countries around the globe in promoting girls' and women's education, Peng said.

Touching stories and successful experience of people who advocated girls' and women's education and have devoted themselves to the career will motivate more followers to strive to promote girls' and women's education and change the destiny of the group, she added.

Peng said she, as a UNESCO special envoy for the advancement of girls' and women's education, is willing to join hands with all others to support gender equality, a global priority for UNESCO, and help more girls and women realize their dreams of life and create a bright future.

Proposed and funded by the Chinese government, the prize is the only one awarded by UNESCO in such area. The Sula Batsu association has long dedicated itself to promoting digital and informatization education of girls and women. The Department of Education of the Government of Navarre of Spain has been advocating gender equality projects for years.