(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-06-02 09:23

BEIJING  -- Perhaps, never before has the International Children's Day been so significant in China.

After the earthquake that devastated the country's southwest on May 12, the deceased children were commemorated on Sunday -- their own holiday, while millions of others, in the quake zone or outside, seemed to have grown up overnight, learning to be strong and caring.

Standing on a pile of rubble that was the Xinjian Primary School some 20 days ago, Yi Jianguo touches gently a photo of his daughter. "She has always longed to celebrate the children's day," he said, tears welling up his eyes.

"Although she is gone, I remember her words and must make up for her," added the man.

There were 60 students in the girl's class. Only five survived the quake, but not the girl.

Yi was among the 500 parents who planned to celebrate the last children's day for their dead offspring together. They pooled their money to buy each child a large photo frame so as to have them "witness how their parents celebrate together with them."

Behind Yi, a young mother was searching for belongings of her child while mumbling on about something. Two other adults placed their children's favorite fruit at the debris, weeping away.

HOLIDAY WISHES

In the quake that ripped through the country's southwest, nearly 70,000 people had been confirmed dead. It is unknown how many were children like Yi's daughter, but more than 7,000 schools collapsed in the disaster.

The dead can no longer make wishes, while the surviving children still have their dreams.

In the resettlement zone of the Leigu Township at Beichuan, four children were playing with a basketball they found in the debris.

"When can we return to school?" asked Chen Hao of the Leigu Primary School.

"In the past we longed for a day off on the children's day. But this time, we hope that class could resume on June 1," the boy said, his head bowing.

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