Walk to Guangzhou

Walk to Guangzhou (simplified Chinese: 行路上广州; traditional Chinese: 行路上廣州) is a fundraising campaign held each year for funding education for orphans and poor children in isolated areas of mainland China. The 30 km (18.64 mi) walk is between Hong Kong and Guangzhou and lasts four days with volunteers walking eight hours a day.

Walk to Guangzhou
Traditional Chinese行路上廣州
Simplified Chinese行路上广州
Literal meaningWalk to Guangzhou

History

Sowers Action, a non-profit organisation founded in 1992, and the Guangdong branch of the China Youth Development Foundation started the annual Walk to Guangzhou fundraising campaign in 1993 through Project Hope.[1][2] The walk takes place during each Chinese New Year from Hong Kong to Guangzhou with the first event taking place in 1994.[3] The event raises money to fund education for orphans and poor children in isolated areas of mainland China.[4][5] During the 2005 walk, 330 volunteers began a four-day walk at Hong Kong's Kowloon Park.[2] Their aim that year was to raise HK$5 million (US$642,894).[2] Each day, they spend eight hours walking.[2] The participants walk through Shenzhen, Futian District, Nanshan, Bao'an District, Chang'an, Humen Town, Guangzhou, Nansha Subdistrict, Panyu District, Huangpu to get to their destination, Guangzhou's Tianhe Stadium.[1][2] According to China National Radio, the aim of the 30 km (18.64 mi) daily walk is to have the volunteers experience how determined the children who live in poverty-stricken mountains must be to attend school to learn. The children must walk up multiple hills daily when going to school.[1]

By the 16th year, over 3800 people had participated, raising a total of HK$68,110,000 in charity donations.[6] Since 2006 the Chinese government has gradually expanded the waiving of school-related fees in China's rural areas.[6] In 2010 about 200 people joined in to raise funds for Yunnan, Sichuan, Gansu and Guizhou.[7] By 2018, over 5,500 people had participated in the event, raising over HK$88 million (US$11,226,638).[1]

References
  1. 郑澍 (2018-02-22). 陈越 (ed.). ""行路上广州2018"公益行动收步仪式在穗举行" [The closing ceremony of the "Walk to Guangzhou 2018" charity event was held in Guangzhou] (in Chinese). China National Radio. Archived from the original on 2022-01-03. Retrieved 2022-01-03.
  2. "香港启动"行路上广州"活动" [Hong Kong launches "Walk to Guangzhou" event]. Guangzhou Daily (in Chinese). 2005-02-12. Archived from the original on 2022-01-03. Retrieved 2022-01-03 – via Sina Corporation.
  3. "211人行路上廣州　91歲翁行足廿年冀幫社會" [211 people walk to Guangzhou. 91-year-old Weng has been walking for 20 years to help society]. Oriental Daily News (in Chinese). 2018-02-18. Archived from the original on 2022-01-03. Retrieved 2022-01-03.
  4. 张雅诗 (2017-01-30). 年巍 (ed.). "香港市民行善、登高欢度年初三" [Hong Kong citizens walk to do good and climb high to celebrate the third day of the Lunar New Year] (in Chinese). Xinhua News Agency. Archived from the original on 2022-01-03. Retrieved 2022-01-03.
  5. "class notes". South China Morning Post. 2005-11-05. Archived from the original on 2022-01-03. Retrieved 2022-01-03.
  6. Walktogz.org.hk. "Walktogz.org.hk." The first walk. Retrieved on 2010-02-15.
  7. "200多人「行路上廣州」籌款" [More than 200 people fundraise for "Walk to Guangzhou"]. Headline Daily (in Chinese). 2010-02-16. Archived from the original on 2022-01-03. Retrieved 2022-01-03.
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