(Beijing, May 19, 2008)-At the eve of the first "World Hepatitis Day" on May 19, 2008 .The HBV carriers in the whole China held the “flying the jade kite to bless and contribute to the earthquake-stricken area activities”. In some provinces and cities, HBV carriers also held candlelight vigil, releasing candle lamp on river, contributing and other activities, reposed the grief of the earthquake deceased.

 

Jade is the symbolic color of Hepatitis and represents the concern toward Hepatitis patients. Just before the World Hepatitis Day, the HBV carriers in China launched a campaign with theme “fly the jade kite, fly the dream of equality”. They have agreed that on the eve of the World Hepatitis Day, May 18th, they will fly the Jade kite around the whole country.

 

May 12, 2008, there was a strong earthquake causing the huge disaster in south west China. More than 20,000 persons lost their lives in this earthquake. Hep B patient groups decided to change the theme of jade kite-flying activities to “Flying Jade kites to bless the earthquake-stricken area and contribution activities."

 

The event is initiated by Beijing Yirenping centre(who is a Public welfare organization) and the hepatitis B carriers groups all over the China. Many members of “in the hepatitis B camp network of China” which is the most popular HBV website in China participated actively in this event.

 

On May 18, the HBV carriers gathered in front of the the China Millennium Monument in the windy, flying the Jade kite. They signed their names on the "Jade Kite" and the blessing on the kite. At that scene, they put out the hepatitis B carriers’ collective contributions account.

 

HBV carriers in Guangxi launched a series of activities around Nanning Minsheng Plaza on 17th,May.They flied jade kites adhibited by many red heart-shaped notes where they wrote down their welcome to the World Hepatitis Day and blessings for the earthquake-s tricken area .Jade kites flied high in the sky ,carrying their “red hearts ”,representing their deep concern to the earthquake-suffering people.  They hoped wind could help them bring their regards to these far-off earthquake-suffering people. After jade kites flying, they also released candle lamp on river which is a local custom alongside Yongjiang river to mourn for the earthquake-suffering people at 8pm.

 

On 18TH,May ,HBV carriers in Henan province flied jade kites in East Zhengzhou New exhibition Centre square .They wrote down  “blessings for disaster area” ,”wishes to China”、“unity is strength”、“flying the hope”、“harmony and happiness”etc on small notes. They flied their wishes to high sky adbibied to kites.

 

On 18th,May, HBV carriers in Hunan province flied jade kites alongside Xiangjiang river in Changsha. On the evening, they held candlelight vigil, praying for the people of disaster areas .

 

On the same day, HBV carriers in Wuhan, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Foshan, Dongguan, Chengdu, Tianjin, Shanghai, Fuzhou etc flied jade kites and held other kinds of mourning activities.

 

The biggest commonweal website for HBV carriers in China “in the hepatitis B camp network of China” advocated donations for earthquake-suffering people and publicized the donation account. This activity was gained warm support from  HBV carries in China.