Chile and Haiti

Foreign pavilion staff shared the sorrow. Hernan Somerville, Chilean General Commissioner to the Expo, expressed his support for the Chinese.

The South American country had participated as scheduled despite a devastating quake in February. The Chile Pavilion demonstrates the theme of "the city as a place of ties and communication between people."

"There is a well in our pavilion, through which we can see what happens in Santiago with the Internet. It demonstrates we can be friends, and close partners even we are far from each other," said Somerville.

The Chile Pavilion displays panoramas of quake-hit cities to remind visitors of the fearful power of nature.

"The quake has tightened the relations among Chileans. Many families live in the same building, but they barely know each other. After the quake, they helped each other and relied on each other. This is in accord with the theme of our pavilion, 'City of Relations'," said Danielle Cartes, a staff member.

Haiti was also recovering from its own disaster.

"The quake doesn't mean the end of world. Life goes on and we have to move on, to work, to do business and to rebuild the country," said Jean Walnard Dorneval, Haiti's trade and development representative in China. "We are here at the Expo to show Haitian people are strong and we are optimistic about the future."

A birthday to remember

For China Pavilion volunteer Chen Qiaoqiao, May 12 was both her 27th birthday and the second anniversary of Wenchuan earthquake.

Chen, from Dujiangyan City, one of the worst-hit areas, still remembers that "terrible day."

It seemed that "heaven was suddenly torn open, accompanied by rumbling noises from beneath the earth." With her colleagues, Chen fled from her office building.

"It was like a Hollywood disaster epic. Almost all the houses were rubble, and many people were buried under the ruins. We stood by, waiting for orders."

After half an hour, they were rushed to Dujiangyan Hospital of Traditional Medicine to assist those in need.

That day, Chen forgot about celebrating her 25th birthday.

On the third day after the quake Chen finally ate a bowl of rice transported from Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province. Everyday, she slept for four hours at most.

Her family suggested that she change her birthday date.

However, it never occurred to Chen that she would have her birthday in the Shanghai Expo Park with other volunteers, nicknamed "little cabbages" because of their green uniforms.

Chen, a junior procurator in Dujiangyan, applied to be a volunteer at the Expo because she wanted to help Shanghai, which formed a sister-city alliance with Dujiangyan after the earthquake.

Over the past two years, Shanghai has offered financial assistance and human resources to Dujiangyan to help with its revival.

"You would hardly believe your eyes if you visit Dujiangyan today, as new buildings have risen thanks to the selfless help of Shanghai people."

Chen kept her personal birthday wish to herself, but she had a bigger wish. "I sincerely wish Shanghai Expo a great success and the quake-stricken Sichuan a bright future."

(Xinhua News Agency May 13, 2010)