Ｓｐｒｅａｄｉｎｇ　Ｓｅｅｄｓ　ｏｆ　Ｐｅａｃｅ　ａｎｄ　Ｆｒｉｅｎｄｓｈｉｐ

Ｓｈａｎ　Ｄａｚｈｉ　Ｗａｎｇ　Ｍｉｎａ

In 2007 Weihai City has carried out a series of youth exchange activities with its foreign friendship cities. 12 youth delegations consisting a total of 283 people have been sent to each others cities between Weihai and Bucheon and Hanam of the ROK, Ube of Japan, Santa Barbara of the United States and Singapore. Through rich and colourful activities, a bridge linking different civilizations and regions has been built, spreading the seeds of peace and friendship far and wide.

In recent years with the expansion of international exchanges, Weihai has established friendly relations with 8 foreign cities and 20 grass-roots units across the five continents, which has provided vast areas for friendly international youth exchanges. A football team composed of 20 students of Shandong University at Weihai was sent to the ROK to take part in the 2007 Bucheon Mayors Cup Football Match. “Home Stay” activities with participants of 130 primary and middle school students in 6 batches were carried out between Yosu, Bucheon and Hanam of the ROK and Weihai and Rushan. Cultural exchanges between the youngsters of Weihai and Ude of Japan and Singapore were carried out vigorously. A 21-member teachers delegation of Santa Barbara came to Weihai, giving Chinese children free oral English training.

The international youth exchange activities attracted much attention from the people. Both Weihai and its friendship cities devoted great energy and enthusiasm to these activities and showed their sincere and deep feelings to each other.

In the hot summer, Professor Peter Husland, president of the US-China Peoples Friendship Association Santa Barbara Chapter, led 20 outstanding teachers to Weihai. It was the sixth time for him to lead a delegation to visit Weihai. In his speech at the welcoming ceremony, he made clear the purpose of their visit from the very beginning: “We come here with friendship. No matter what our government is doing, the friendship between the people will never discontinue. Friendly exchanges have no national boundaries. So I firmly believe that we will go back home with friendship.” After a short day of sightseeing, Professor Peter Husland and his colleagues immediately threw themselves into English teaching. He said, “Please dont treat us as guests. We really want to do something for the children in Weihai.” In the 14-day oral English training, the American teachers visited 12 primary and middle schools in the city. Despite intense heat of summer, they conscientiously gave the training rich contents in a lively way. Their serious attitude in teaching, their introduction of the practical way of learning and their new concept of education were liked and welcomed by the students and their parents. Every day the classrooms were full. More than 2,000 teachers and students participated in the training. The teachers and students forged deep friendship. The American teachers became the guests warmly welcomed by every Chinese family there. In order to keep the good results of the training for a long time, the students and teachers formed pairs through the Internet, and the American side promised to provide funds for training the excellent Chinese students regularly. On the departure day, the teachers and students hugged each other with deep emotion. Tears in eyes they were reluctant to part.

The “home stay” activity between Weihai and Ube of Japan and Yosu and Bucheon of the ROK, and between Rushan and Hanam of the ROK was attached great importance to by the Japanese and the ROK governments. In the midst of their pressing affairs, the mayors personally selected excellent students, examined the plan of the activity, met and entertained the children. They gave warm speeches and called the children “little envoys of friendship”. The cultural exchange activities rich and colourful in content and varied in form and the daily family life helped nurture affinity between the Chinese youngsters and their Japanese and Korean peers. In a strange country, they found their foreign “dad and mum” and “brothers and sisters”. A Weihai pupil who visited the ROK wrote with emotion in his composition, “My Korean mum made bed for me and my Korean sister studied together with me…. On that night in a foreign country, the seeds of friendship were sowed soundlessly with my exciting tears.” Another pupil who returned home after visiting Japan wrote, “The prosperity and civility that can be seen everywhere will forever inspire me to build up my country when I grow up.”

Friendly exchanges between the senior middle school students of Weihai and Singapore have been carried out for quite a long time. The two sides have organized various forms of competitions and games, which have taught the students how to use good study methods and carry on the traditional culture with the Confucian culture as the principal part, enriched the students school life and deepened their understanding of life, future and development. After the students return home, writing letters to each other has become the proudest and happiest thing for them.

The Weihai university students football team that went to the ROK for matches was warmly welcomed by the government and people of Bucheon. The Mayor met with all the team members at the City Hall and the Life & Sports Association of Bucheon City accorded them a warm reception and looked after them during their stay. When the Weihai football team arrived, the Mayors Cup football matches which were regarded by the city as a grand festival had been going on for quite a few days. But in order to greet the team, they specially held the grand opening ceremony on that day. When the members of the Weihai team filed into the playing ground, the government officials and members of the City Assembly on the stands as well as over a thousand citizens gave warm applause, the chant of “Weihai, Weihai” echoed in the air. The leader of the Weihai team said from the bottom of his heart, “Weihai has really stricken root in the hearts of the people in Bucheon！”

The 2007 Weihai international youth exchange activities spread the seeds of peace and friendship and raised Weihais popularity and influence outside China. Weihais culture, achievements and greater potential for development were shown through the activities. Through the exchanges Weihai has become well known because of friendship and its popularity will ever develop because of extensive participation in the activities by the new generation.