Students from Sichuan Ya’an were farewelled by their friends in Hong Kong this morning. The five-day visit did not only make memorable and pleasant moments, but also built profound friendship between the teenagers from both places.
The delegation appreciated the thoughtful travel schedule and extended the heartfelt thanks to the relevant organisations for their support and arrangement.
At the end of the visit, BPA held a ceremony at the airport to farewell those motivated and aspired students, as well as their accompanying parents and representatives today. Mr. Wang Jun, as the deputy director of the United Front Work Department of Ya’an and the coach of the delegation, concluded that the friendships built among the students and young volunteers from Hong Kong were invaluable. “We are deeply moved by the sincerity of the volunteers for bidding our farewells. Children from Ya’an will grow stronger and I am confident that the relief work in the affected areas will be accomplished.” He also invited the volunteers to visit Ya’an when the reconstruction of the affected areas completed, as a continuation of the friendships.
Mr. Christopher Cheung, the vice chairman of BPA mentioned in his speech, “the delegation does not only provide an opportunity for the students to understand Hong Kong better and show our care for Sichuan students, we also hope the visit sow the seeds of friendship in the hearts of teenagers from Sichuan and Hong Kong. I wish you all can live strong and optimistic and make a brighter future.” Mr. Cheung also expressed gratitude to the facilitating organisations and volunteers. Their dedication marked unforgettable memories for all participants.
In order to mark the special occasion, Mr. Cheung presented the Secretary of the United Front Work Department of Sichuan Province and the Director of Liaison Office of Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and Overseas, Ms. Ling Wen with an album of photographs recording their four-day visit in Hong Kong, as a moments of the wonderful trip.
In the four-day trip, despite rainy weather, the delegation found a great deal of happiness from it. Students from Ya’an and Hong Kong volunteers visited some tourist spots in Hong Kong and participated in exchange activities. Many students were particularly interested in the Lam Tsuen ‘Wishing Tree’. “There are too many natural disasters on earth, I wish there will be less causalities if seismologists can discover the ways to predict earthquakes.” Zhou Yu-lou, a cheerful girl said. Gao Qian, a 12 year-old girl told us she was impressed by the Inno Nest in the Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks. “I learnt how Hong Kong applie new technologies, which I found them exciting. I will share with my schoolmates about my experience after I return to Sichuan,” she said.
Mr. Christopher Cheung presented to the leader of Sichuan delegation, Ms. Ling Wen an album of photographs recording their smile and memories in Hong Kong.
Mr. Yeung Yong-hang, a Hong Kong volunteer said, “although the students from Ya’an experienced such a natural disaster, they remain optimistic and energetic. They passionately taught me the Sichuan dialect and invited me to visit Sichuan, hoping to introduce to me famous tourist spots like the Leshan Giant Buddha and E’mei Mountain. They are apparently confident in their own prospects.” Gao Shou-fei, a 10 year-old student from Ya’an City Tianquan county said, “I am so grateful to the care of big brothers and sisters during the trip.”
The delegation did not only enjoy a fruitful and educational trip, more importantly, students from Sichuan and Hong Kong have developed genuine friendships. BPA also express appreciation to the support from those organisations and volunteers who had sponsored and contributed to the trips, as well as the hard work of the student volunteers. Their contributions led to a successful conclusion of the delegation. BPA also wishes the students from Ya’an stay strong and healthy.
 Chen Chu-hang from Ya’an, presented Mr. Christopher Cheung with peanuts grown in Sichuan Lushan Lungmen, which were cultivated after the disaster. |
 To thank the Hong Kong volunteers for their care during the trip, a child from Sichuan presented souvenirs to Shirley and Jason. |
 Sichuan is located in the inland area of China, children from Ya’an can hardly face the sea. They were especially excited by the dolphins’ performance in the Ocean Park. |
 During the visit in Cathay City, aviation personnel enlightened the students from Ya’an on the aviation industry. |
 Disneyland greeted the students with adorable cartoon characters and showed them the cheerful atmosphere in the theme park. |
 Despite the drizzle, the members remained focused on the flag-raising ceremony in the Golden Bauhinia Square. |
 On the Lam Tsuen “Wishing Square”, children from Ya’an wrote down their wishes and prayed for their families and Sichuan. |
 Throwing up the joss paper on the Wishing Tree is a must-do event to experience the traditional customs. |
 In the Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks, students’ horizons were broadened by learning the application of binary projections. |
 Yeung Yung-hang, a Hong Kong volunteer got along with the students from Ya’an during the visit in the Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks. |
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