China's quake-zone pupils rejoice in Russia

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-08-09 13:54

VLADIVOSTOK, Russia: Delicious food, well-designed games and smiling faces were what a Russian care center had prepared for 550 Chinese students who had suffered from a powerful earthquake last year.

The Chinese children were participating in a rehabilitation program in the far eastern city of Vladivostok Saturday, a program offered by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev during his visit to China last year.

China's quake-zone pupils rejoice in Russia

A Chinese student from quake zone plays with his Russian counterpart in Vladivostok, Russia Saturday August 8, 2009. [Xinhua]

At the gourmet garden-party staged at the seaside square of the all-Russia children's care center, children from both China and Russia enjoyed themselves at dozens of games such as hopscotch, imitate show, spear-throwing and blind-drawing.

These games were carefully organized by Russian tutors and volunteers. As long as a child wins a game, he or she can get a coupon exchangeable for delicious food and drink presented at a 60-meter-long dining table.

The center has prepared 500 kg of roast pork, 1,300 helpings of meal and various snacks such as roast meat, beef jelly, honey pancakes, icecream, and spiced beans for the party.

Children with an armful of "trophies" and sweet smiles on their faces can be seen everywhere along the square.

The magnitude-8 earthquake struck China's Sichuan and the neighboring provinces of Shaanxi and Gansu on May 12, 2008, leaving some 87,000 people dead or missing and more than 370,000 others injured.

Yang Yongpeng, a junior schoolboy from China's quake-affected Gansu province, wanted to share his bagful of awards with the Russian tutors who have been accompanying him upon his arrival in late July.

"This is the happiest day for me since I came here. I have got so many unexpected gifts, and I can feel the truly joy deeply inside my heart," he said.

"As a little messenger bridging Chinese-Russian ties, I wish I can do my bit to promote the friendship between our two countries, to know more about Russia while letting people here know more about China," he added.

Yang also told Xinhua that the Russian side had attached great importance to the rehabilitation program and attentively arranged all the activities.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, during his visit to China last year, invited students from quake-hit areas to participate in the rehabilitation programs in his country. A total of 1,570 Chinese children were to take part in the programs.

During the three-week program to end this week, the children participated in various kinds of courses and events, including Russian language lessons, interest development groups and sports.