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Young Quake Survivors Visit Edmonton

August 18, 2010

Megan Tsang jumped at the chance to volunteer with a trip for young earthquake survivors from Chengdu, China visiting Edmonton this summer.  The 14-year-old became fast friends with her Chengdu buddies in August 2009.
 
“Last year’s trip was awesome,” said Tsang, who still keeps in touch with her Chengdu buddies and is blogging about this year’s visit. “It was exciting for them to visit Canada, to learn about Edmonton, and for me to learn about China.”

Seven children who lost their parents in a devastating earthquake in China’s Sichuan Province in May 2008 will be in Edmonton from August 16 to 26. This is the second year the City and members of the local Chinese community have organized a trip for survivors of the Chengdu quake.

The youth, ages 13 to 17, are among 650 children orphaned in the quake which claimed nearly 70,000 lives. They are all in Canada for the first time.

"Edmontonians have always shown tremendous compassion for those affected by tragedy, and as a multicultural city, our concern for people extends beyond our city limits," said Mayor Stephen Mandel.

"The children of Chengdu have already faced great adversity in their lives. This trip is a chance for us to welcome them to our city and to learn about their culture and experiences. The friendships that grow out of initiatives like this will last a lifetime," Mayor Mandel said.

Tsang and other students from Edmonton’s Mandarin bilingual program will be buddied with earthquake survivors during their visit to Edmonton. They’ll accompany them on outings and serve as translators.

During the 10-day trip the group will visit attractions including the TELUS World of Science, the Edmonton Valley Zoo, and Fort Edmonton Park.  They will also attend a lunch hosted by the Mayor at City Hall.

The Edmonton Chinese Bilingual Education Association raised more than $30,000 to cover the cost of the airfare of the children from Chengdu as well as two chaperones traveling with the group from China. The City of Edmonton and local businesses are donating services and meals and providing free admission for trip participants.