Life of Guangzhou - US Celebrate Independence Day with Charity

On the evening of June 27, a special party was held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Guangzhou to celebrate the 232nd Independence Day of the United States.

Charity for earthquake children

The event was organized by the US Consulate General in Guangzhou and not only celebrated US independence, but also served as a venue for donations collected by Half the Sky, a non-profit organization, for the quake-influenced children of Sichuan province in Southwest China.

A sum of ￥23,500 (US$ 3,406) in cash was collected from kind overseas and Chinese guests at the event. Over a dozen blankets and many articles of clothing, boxes and packages of milk powder, flashlights, batteries, food and other items were contributed during the event, according to a consulate officer responsible for the donation operation.

One foreign guest donated ￥10,000 (US$ 1,449). The largest offer came from a Taiwanese away from the venue, who called Half the Sky to donate ￥100,000 (US$ 14,490).

"The charity makes the event more special and significant," said an American official from the US Consulate General.

US Consul General Robert Goldberg (left) and the Secretary General of the Guangdong provincial government Xu Shangwu addressed the event.

Happy to share

US Consul General Robert Goldberg and the Secretary General of the Guangdong provincial government, Xu Shangwu, addressed the event.

Some 200 guests attended the party, including foreign consuls, senior executives from chambers of commerce and big companies, as well as local Chinese officials

The party was full of the American spirit. In the spacious venue live American music was played as slideshows displaying US landmarks and culture were presented. Many American delicacies were available as guests attired in red, white and blue chatted and networked.

The US Consulate General will stage another similar celebration and donation activity today in Nanning, the capital of the Guangxi Autonomous Region.

It is the first time for the consulate to hold the Independence Day celebration outside of Guangdong province, where the office is based, in order to promote its connection with Guangxi.

(By Ronald Li and Stephen Roach)