By Wang Hongyi (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-05-30 08:21

Students from Shanghai's Eurocampus School show off their artwork on Wednesday. Zhang Cheng

SHANGHAI: Students from two schools here are celebrating International Children's Day, which falls on Sunday, by decorating two tents that will be sent to children in quake-hit regions of Sichuan.

Pupils at the city's German Eurocampus School and Yifu Vocational and Polytechnic School have shown their support for their peers by decorating the tents with inspiring words and colorful images.

One of the students, named Amanda, said the most eye-catching elements were the red hearts and Earth patterns.

"The Earth shows that we all live in one world, and if we all help each other, together we can make it," she said.

Other students wrote messages of support and encouragement, such as "Don't give up!" and "Don't lose hope."

One German student wrote: "Dear friend, all the world is shocked at what happened. Everybody is trying to help, but unfortunately that is not gonna bring your families back. I hope you are gonna be happy again."

The tents, which can each accommodate up to 70 people, are part of a larger donation of 13 tents by manufacturer Losberger. One will be sent to a primary school in the town of Jiebei, Anxian county, Mianyang, and the other to a school in Dujiangyan, both of which were hard-hit by the quake.

Dirk Gruber, Losberger's managing director, said: "We were very shocked when we heard about the earthquake, and knew we had to do something to help."

"With Children's Day approaching, we hope the tents will show kids in the quake areas that their peers in Shanghai care about them."

"What's more, we wanted to make the tents beautiful, so the youngsters enjoy a meaningful Children's Day."

As well as decorating the tents, the Eurocampus School is also holding a series of fundraising events.

School president Evelyne Regniez said: "We will hold a charity sale this weekend, and all the money will go to help the victims of the earthquake."

(China Daily 05/30/2008 page4)