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Mountains fell, the earth split, houses collapsed, bridges broke, high-mountain mudslides razed schools to the ground... 11 years have passed since the 5.12 Sichuan earthquake in 2008. 11 years ago, an earthquake threw the whole nation into sadness, while 11 years now, the ruins site still shocks and leaves a deep impression on us. Now we have embarked on a journey of life education experience.
On the occasion of the 29th National Day for Helping the Disabled, the Fourth National Disabled People “Five Creation" Summit Forum (hereinafter referred to as Five Creation Forum) hosted by Far East Holding Group and co-organized by Far East Charitable Foundation and Zhongke Boai (Beijing) Institute of Psychological Medicine was still underway. On May 19, guests participating in the Summit left the New Beichuan County for the Old Beichuan County to conduct a tour as well as memorial activities in commemoration of the deceased people and in celebration of the new birth of Beichuan.
Eternal Memory - Earthquake Site of the Old Beichuan County
In the drizzle, the participants stood on the land of the Old Beichuan County and held a solemn and simple flower laying ceremony in front of the cemetery of the earthquake victims to pay deep tribute to our compatriots who died in the earthquake.
In the earthquake, the whole Beichuan Middle School was razed to the ground, except Class No.4 of the Ninth Grade whose classmates were taking a gym class then and survived. Around the national flagpole, there was a touching letter written by a mother to her son.
Buildings of many organizations like forestry bureau, telecommunications company, post office, public security bureau, local government, tobacco monopoly bureau, Agricultural Bank and vocational-technical high school were reduced to only several teetering broken walls.
In the Wenchuan earthquake, Huang Li lost her legs and left arm, and due to a spinal cord injury, she has to live with "high paraplegia". From her part, that irreversible moment completely changed her life. As the disaster is over, Huang Li now has started afresh with a thankful heart, deciding to face the future with optimism and strength.
In the Wenchuan earthquake, Huang Meihua lost her legs. Now, she is studying at the University of British Columbia. Independent and confident, she always wears a smile as bright as wintersweet flowers. Going forward, she will continue to move on with her original aspiration in mind.
An Unforgettable Memory -
5.12 Wenchuan Earthquake Memorial Museum
Today, the national flag class from Sichuan Electronic Machinery Vocational & Technical College presented a five-star red flag to the memorial museum to remember the history. Everything here seems to be telling the trials and tribulations this place once experienced, but the power to create a heaven-like home is inspired only by those hell-like tribulations.
Perhaps, for some Beichuan people, their clocks stopped forever eleven years ago. On hearing that two thirds of the Old Beichuan County was covered by landslides and nearly 20,000 people died in just less a minute from the docent, I couldn"t help lamenting the insignificance and helplessness of lives in the face of disasters.
Far East participants are moved to tears during a Summit activity
Pictures of psychological counseling stations in Bayi Tent School jointly built by the Institute of Psychology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Far East Charitable Foundation after Wenchuan earthquake
In the wake of the Wenchuan earthquake, the newly established Far East Charitable Foundation felt duty-bound to donate money for disaster relief. Jiang Xipei, founder, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Secretary of the Party Committee of Far East Holding Group, also gave strong support to Wenchuan construction. In particular, he was the first entrepreneur to put forward the slogan of "providing whatever Wenchuan needs regardless of money, resources or people", calling on everyone to do their bit by leading by example. Zhou Dongjiao, the then Senior Director of the President"s Office of Far East Holding Group, was enlisted by the Institute of Psychology of CAS as a volunteer to Beichuan to provide psychological assistance and spread great love.
When we walked in the Memorial Museum, we were much impressed by the change from being afraid to being strong in the face of disaster, and felt as if those scenes were still fresh in our memory. This tour brought home to us how fragile life is and how powerful strength can a nation in danger have.
Participants of the Summit activities visit the Cultural and Creative Industrial Base for the Disabled in Beichuan Qiang Autonomous County
The red-star flag of that year is still floating in the wind, but the people of that year can never be seen again. Following a visit to the Old Beichuan County, we left for the New Beichuan County. Despite many a trial and tribulation, Beichuan is still beautiful as ever. Far East Holding Group and Far East Charitable Foundation will stay true to their original mission, shoulder their corporate responsibilities and make constant contributions to charity work. Let"s believe that bitter winter would be overtaken by vernal spring with sunshine and breeze at long last. Let"s cherish every moment of our life to love ourselves, our families and others and do more meaningful and heart-warming things for our society!
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