Nanjing YWCA received a high school volunteering team consisted of 24 people named Nanjing History Protection Educational Culture Exchange Journey led by Gu Huili, director of Hudiewan Social Service Center from HK YWCA from March 31st to April 5th. Mr. Zhao Dongshu, assistant to Chief Secretary, and Ms Xu Cuicui, secretary of Nanjing YMCA accompanied the guests through the whole trip in Nanjing. On March 31st afternoon, the guests came to their cooperation unit of social work practice with Nanjing YMCA—Nanjing Institute of Technology, introducing the social work of HK YMCA to the students and teachers from Social Work Dept of Nanjing Institute of Technology, and secretary Qu Chungfang, from social work dept of Human Science Institute exchanged gifts with her counter-part of the visiting team.
In the following days, HK Young Volunteering team visitedJingHaiTemple, the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders, and the Anti-Japanese War folk historical data exhibition, and presented wreath to the victims, talked with the survivals from Nanjing Massacre. They learnt a profound lesson through these visits, which stimulated their patriotic emotion.
The teachers fromQiqiaoPrimary Schoolin Qinhuai District particularly arranged a class called the modem history and culture ofNanjingfor these high school students from HK. The students from Nanjing Institute of Technology and HK YWCA High School played gym games, such as squirrel moving house, catching fish, numbering balls and tanks with the pupils, which made these 40 pupils of migrant workers experience the happy and joy that they never have had. Meanwhile, the pupils performed solo Chinese violin, Latin dancing to show their self-reliance spirit to the volunteers from HK.
On April 2nd afternoon, Serving the Elderly Activity was held in Chengxian Neighborhood Community, organized by Warm and Sweet Home service team of Nanjing YMCA. The visiting group joined the activity with 40 elderly people from the local community by several actions, such as brain storm on identifying colors, creative painting, craft work and body building exercise for elderly people. They had a great time together in the whole afternoon. One of the elderly women, Han Ailan said emotionally, “this is the happiest day since I retired in 1991”.
Later, the team interviewed some citizen randomly in street to know about their view about HK, and experienced the deep historical culture of Nanjing where had been the capital city for 10 dynasties through visiting Ganxi old house, the campus of Nanjing University, Presidential Palace, Dr. Sun Yet-sun’s Mausoleum, Zhonghuamen Castle, and the night scene of Confusion temple area, which increased their sense of pride to be Chinese.
Nanjing YMCA and YWCA let the young volunteers from HK know more about historical cultural origins and the development with each passing day of our mother land trough this oversea exchange activity, and realize the leadership of Dr. Sun Yet-san, and understand the leadership characteristics for the future. The young volunteering activity between HK andNanjingenhances the connection among the elderly and the migrant children service inNanjing, and increasing the sense of belonging of the elderly, and making the new citizen (children of migrant workers) feel the love and care from our society.
The students from Nanjing colleges have learnt the professional planning skills from HK YWCA, which will inspire them to carry out more community service and promote the building of social harmonious under the leadership of Nanjing YMCA.
