Wise Hit: Episode 4 'THE BULL'
The Guangzhou Government has recently recognized expatriates with a quadrennial awards ceremony and launched an expat photo book of the city.
On December 19, the Fifth Guangzhou Friendship Awards were held with ten expat experts being recognized for their outstanding achievement in the economic and social development of Guangzhou. Established by the Peoples Municipal Government of Guangzhou to encourage international talent, each of the award winners received RMB 100,000. After being previously held in 1996, 2001, 2004 and 2007, the awards were open to foreigners who work for institutes, departments, schools, enterprises and organizations, which are under the administration of Guangzhou government.
The winners were Dr Eduardas Vaigauskas from Lithuania, Dr Charles Larson from Canada, Migeul Esteban from Spain, Stephan Mohler from Switzerland, Vakulishyna Vikoriya from the Ukraine, Remi Chauvin from France, Karl Fjellstrom from Australia, Marco Gilardi from Italy, Takuji Simoura from Japan and Aliakseyeu Yury from Belarus.
Award winner, Dr Larson is the Director of the Centre for International Health at the British Columbia Children’s Hospital and Child & Family Health Research Institute; and is a visiting fellow at the Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Centre. The medical professional has traveled to Guangzhou seven times since 2008 as the hospital’s visiting specialist and provided teleconference guidance from Vancouver; he has introduced modern practices and technology to the hospital; and has visited Zengcheng and Huadu to share his experience and knowledge with medical interns.
In an interview with the moderator of the awards, Dr Larson said it was a great honor to receive the award; and that he received the award on behalf of all of the Canadians who had worked at the hospital over the past 25 years. Dr Larson’s contribution was recognized for his support for improving children’s health care by developing partnerships withunderstanding and trust in Guangzhou. He said his was concerned about the availability of drinking water for children.
Also in December, the hard cover book ‘Guangzhou: Through the Eyes of Foreigners’ was launched by the Director-General of the Information Office of Guangzhou Municipal Government, Ou Caiqun. The photographic essay chronicles the recent changes in Guangzhou by compiling the photos and stories of expats through the lens of their personal cameras.
The unique perspective is mainly from expat contributors who are not professional photographers. "Guangzhou is like my husband, every time when I want to go back to America he always pulls me back," said Rebecca Ridinger, a teacher of Guangdong University of Foreigner Studies and contributor to the book.
Where to buy:
//Guangzhou Tianhe Book Centre, 123 Tianhe Lu, Tianhe District, 38860672.
