Opening the Vault of Knowledge Spreading the Seeds of Friendship

From December 14 to 16, 2011, Julien Laupretre, President of the Secours Populaire Francais (SPF), led a delegation to visit Sichuan Province for a ribbon cutting ceremony of the Mengjia School library in Deyang.

Founded in 1945, the SPF is an influential public organization in France that cooperates with various organizations throughout the world on programs of development and training, and provides emergency aid to victims of military conflicts and natural disasters. When a severe earthquake struck Wenchuan on May 12, 2008, the organization immediately sent a letter to the CPAFFC expressing deep concern, and appealed to French people to unite with and share the pain of the victims. Later, the organization decided to donate tents and daily necessities badly needed in stricken areas in Sichuan Province, and took part in reconstruction projects.

In July 2008, the SPF delegation arrived at Deyang, one of the worst damaged areas, and distributed tents, food, sleeping bags and other necessities to 360 households. When they learned that Mengjia School of Jingyang District was badly damaged and the school library was destroyed with over 30,000 books buried in rubble, SPF immediately determined to provide financial aid for its reconstruction. In August 2008, with financial support from the SPF and the CPAFFC, a 12-member delegation of students and teachers of Dongqi Middle School of Deyang came to Beijing to take part in Olympic exchange activities between Chinese and French youth. They watched the Olympic Games together with the visiting French young students and held parties, which helped ease the pain and depression of the survivors.

On December 15, 2011, the completion ceremony of the multimedia library of Mengjia School was held on the playground. Emmanuel Rousseau, Consul General in Chengdu, and representatives of the SPF and the French multinational Areva Group, Li Jianping, Vice President of the CPAFFC, Qin Lin, President of the Sichuan Provincial People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Chen Xinyou, Mayor of Deyang; reporters, and teachers and students of the school, totaling about 700 people, attended.

CPAFFC Vice President Li Jianping emotionally described how SPF President Julien Laupretre, now aged 86, had undergone much wartime suffering when young, and so he had decided to devote his life to charity work to help the children all over the world to have a happy life. It is through the active efforts of Mr. Laupretre and his team that the new library of Mengjia School had been completed, opening the door of the vault of knowledge for local children. Li hoped the students would cherish the opportunity and study hard so as to make contributions to their motherland and its people and to friendship with the French people when they grow up.

Mr. Laupretre told the children about his unfortunate childhood and hoped that they could take the good opportunity and work hard so that in future they would be able to help children of other countries and regions in the world badly in need of assistance and love. Unity and mutual assistance should not just remain words, but be realized in deeds. The new library was the result of efforts made in the spirit of unity, friendship and love. He hoped that it would become a seed of friendship and mutual assistance in the hearts of the children and bring about a better, more peaceful and united future to humanity.

Speaking softly, a girl student representative of the school expressed her gratitude to“Grandpa Laupretre”and all other people who had helped the children. She said, the completion of the new library taught them to be grateful and understand sincerity and true friendship. In the world of books in the library, they would no longer feel lonely. They would certainly cherish all that stood in front of their eyes and study hard so as to serve their motherland and spread friendship as adults.

Deyang Mayor Chen Xinyou, on behalf of the people of the earthquake-stricken area, showed his respect and gratitude to the SPF, the Areva Foundation and the CPAFFC for their care, support and aid to the city and its people in the reconstruction. Deyang people would never forget those who had given them a helping and loving hand when they were in peril and calamity, and would pass on the spirit of humanitarianism, universal fraternity and devotion as well as the lofty spirit of disaster relief from generation to generation.

The Principal of Mengjia School presented silk banners to the SPF and the Areva Foundation.

After the ceremony, the delegation went to Penghua village of Mianzhu city and Jiulong town to inspect other reconstruction projects, and were amazed and happy to see the neat and beautiful new village and the improved public infrastructure.