OPINION> Commentary
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OPINION> Commentary
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Volunteers mirror society
(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-06-11 07:51 While facing disasters like quakes, Chinese volunteers have contributed to the rescue work and shouldered their social responsibility, says an article in People's Daily. The following is an excerpt: To some extent, the volunteering spirit represents the spiritual pursuit of human beings and is a driving force for the progress of societies and civilizations. It is much needed at a time when the society is facing difficulties. Volunteers were easily seen in the rescue work after the Wenchuan quake. In the quake areas, about 200,000 young volunteers had fought at the frontline, some of them from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan and some others foreigners. Volunteers queued overnight to donate their blood to quake victims across the country. The emergence of a great number of volunteers in China indicates that the Chinese society is becoming more mature. This spirit is a precious sense of citizenship and it encompasses concepts like social responsibility, national pride and human sympathy. It transcends the rule of commodity exchange. What volunteers get is the spiritual satisfaction of protecting the national dignity, helping others and coping with problems, which goes far beyond the material satisfactions. In the fight against the snowstorm in southern China early this year, volunteers from Tangshan, which was hit by a destructive quake three decades ago, moved the Chinese people with their humane acts. More volunteers like them came to the frontline of the Wenchuan earthquake. In the coming Beijing Olympic Games, volunteers will once again show the spirit of the Chinese people. The volunteering spirit is greatly needed in today's China. It is not only embodied in difficult moments, but also in daily routines. It is a social project, which involves the spirit of the initiative, systematic planning, and efficient organization. In today's China, two trends are intertwined: for one thing, the value of protecting and respecting the rights of citizens has been strengthened; for the other, citizens have become more mature in upholding their social responsibility. (China Daily 06/11/2008 page8) |
