(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-06-01 19:39

NEW YORK  -- A fundraiser was held here Saturday for recovery efforts in China in the aftermath of the devastating May 12 earthquake.

The fundraiser, organized by student organizations, civil organizations and business organizations of the Chinese community in the greater New York area, attracted nearly 1,000 people, from toddlers to octogenarians, at Foley Square.

Poem recitals, songs, dances and martial art performances were featured at the three-hour "Hand-in-Hand, Heart-to-Heart" benefit event.

Liang Guanjun, chairman of the United Chinese Association of Greater New York, who earlier donated 200,000 US dollars, gave an additional 110,000 dollars at the fundraiser.

"Many of us overseas Chinese made donation after donation, wishing that our compatriots could shake off the disaster overnight," said Liang, who visited the epicenter a week earlier as a volunteer.

"The catastrophic earthquake may be able to rid us of our compatriots' lives, it may be able to decimate our compatriots' homes, but it cannot hold back the bold march ahead of the Chinese nation," Liang said.

The Myanmar-Chinese Association of New York presented a traditional Myanmar dance, "Dance of Spring."

William H. Su, the association's president, who had made donations to disaster relief efforts in both Myanmar and China, wished for peace and health all around the world.

John Liu, a member of the New York City Council, spoke of an enormous outpouring of sympathy and support for China.

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