WWII event aims to draw thousands

Congressman Al Green (third from right), City Council Member Richard Nguyen (left) and other community leaders, witness Wea Lee, president of Southern News Group, and Anita Sehgal, senior vice-president of Minute Maid Park, sign an agreement to use the baseball park for a celebration of the end of WWII in Houston on Wednesday. MAY ZHOU / CHINA DAILY

Houston's Minute Maid Park - home of the Astros - inked a deal with Southern News Group (SNG) on Wednesday leasing the ballpark to the group spearheading Diversity and Peace, an event celebrating the end of WWII and the diversity of the city.

The agreement, witnessed by Congressman Al Green, City Council Member Richard Nguyen and other community leaders, was signed by Wea Lee, president of Southern News Group, and Anita Sehgal, senior vice-president of Minute Maid Park.

The celebration, scheduled for Nov 7, hopes to fill the 42,000-seat stadium, which would make it one of the largest events of its kind nationwide marking the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII.

"Many people in the community want to show our respect to the military and this is their opportunity," Lee said. "We will bring three-hours of world-class programs from China, Africa, India, all over the world to Houston."

According to Lee, more than 100 community organizations are involved in the celebration. "We will invite school kids to the event to learn history. Special attention will be paid to veterans," said Lee.

Lee said that a third of the programming will be provided by groups from China, a third by the local Chinese community and the rest by other ethnic groups in Houston.

"Seventy years ago on Nov 9, the guns fell silent and the entire world was grateful. We want to celebrate that with a very special Houston salute based on the melting pot and freedom that Houston now enjoys," said James Noteware, co-chairman of the International Trade Center.

Congressman Al Green said that this will be a great occasion. "We all know that on Dec 7, 1941, the Pearl Harbor was bombed. After that bombing, we found ourselves in a war that would cost 400,000 lives. That day will live in infamy. What Wea Lee and his friends are doing to celebrate Nov 7 - a great day that offsets Dec 7 - what we are doing is to celebrate diversity, and show our appreciation to the many people who have served," said Green.

mayzhou@chinadailyusa.com