After taking a two year hiatus due to safety concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Night Out (NNO) is back in the U.S. for the 39th time since its inception in 1984.
In New York this year, the New York City Police Department (NYPD), the largest in the country, invited local communities to come together for “barbecue, bounce houses, face painting, food, and fun” at more than 70 locations throughout the city.
“Meet leaders and personnel from your local precinct and interact with neighbors, community members, and local businesses with the common goal of partnership and safety,” the NYPD said on its website.
Created with the intent to strengthen the bond between neighbors and law enforcement, NNO events aim to rejuvenate the authentic spirit of community support and togetherness by featuring local vendors, businesses, and organizations. One of the companies in attendance was Gan Jing World — a growing digital platform that is dedicated to promoting wholesome and traditional content free from violent, pornographic, or harmful material.
Typically held on the first Tuesday of August across 23 states (though some states also observe it in October), NNO events foster educational interactions to enhance communication and safety between police officers and community members.
Wholesome and educational
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With a focus on education and open communication, NNO’s vision matches Gan Jing World’s mission of bringing positive and wholesome content to local communities.
Gan Jing World, a new U.S.-based platform, aims to harness the power of technology to foster a caring, respectful, and trusting community in the hopes of revitalizing traditional relationships between individuals, families — and ultimately — society as a whole.
This year, Gan Jing World teamed up with the NYPD on Aug. 1 at event booths across the five boroughs in New York City. The company was also featured in several stands across other NNO events in upstate New York, Albany, and in other states.
A cleaner, safer world
“Our mission is to create a truly positive, vibrant digital community filled with wholesome content, free from violent, erotic, criminal and harmful material,” Gan Jing World’s website reads.
Created by Chinese dissidents who escaped oppression in communist China, the name “Gan Jing World” in Chinese translates to “clean world” in English. The company’s aim is to offer a new type of social media that is family-friendly, clean, and wholesome.
According to Nick Janicki, director of media relations at the Ganjingworld Corporation, the company is proud to partner with and “support the ‘National Night Out Against Crime’ campaign. “[These events] help increase community safety and have a positive, inspiring effect on our society. Gan Jing World is a safe, healthy, and family-friendly platform designed for people of all ages and backgrounds,” he added.
Chief Worden: ‘We are very blessed’
Chief William Worden from the Port Jervis Police Department, told Vision Times that he was happy with the event’s turnout at River Park — and hopes to continue fostering a harmonious relationship between police and community members in the region.
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“We have such a great community, and we’re very proud of the unity you’re seeing here in the Tristate area,” said Worden. “We are very blessed, and I want to thank you for reporting and covering our event.”
Throughout the day, Gan Jing World also asked attendees to mark the occasion by sharing pictures, videos, and short clips to show their “neighborhood pride” and “community partnership,” using the hashtags “#NNO2023” and “#NameofyourcityNNO2023.” In New York, for example, attendees were able to use #NYCNNO2023 to show their support.
“Gan Jing World has really helped us out a lot by promoting the event with hashtags they made for us,” said Worden, adding, “[Gan Jing World] is a really wonderful platform that is family-friendly and very safe.”
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Millions in attendance
The event also featured many vendors offering free food, entertainment activities, and more. “Today we are doing stilt-walking for the NNO in Port Jervis, New York,” said Sean Mcgoey, director and owner of Flaming Barrel Monkey Entertainment. “It’s been a great event, it’s gone on without a hitch, and so many people have come in to take pictures and share a pleasant experience. The weather has also been great.”
“This is a great event because it puts the community first, and brings the community together,” added Mcgoey.
Since its inception, NNO events have been a hit — drawing in over 2.5 million people from 400 communities across 23 states.
“The event is amazing, it’s a great opportunity for the community, and it’s a very positive influence compared to a lot of the negativity that’s known with Port Jervis,” said local resident Karen Baker, adding, “I’m so glad you guys are here and it’s great to see you all.”
With reporting by Judy Tao and Mary Lee.
