8th 'Gratitude: Nanking Safety Zone' Int’l Peace Hiking Kicks Off in E.China Nanjing City

NANJING, China, November 18, 2024 (Newswire.com) - The 8^th Annual “Gratitude: Nanking Safety Zone” International Peace Hiking Ceremony kicked off on November 16 in Nanjing, the capital city of east China’s Jiangsu Province. Over 200 participants from China and abroad gathered in the Suiyuan campus of Nanjing Normal University to commemorate the humanitarian efforts of foreign nationals who sheltered Chinese refugees.

In November 1937, Minnie Vautrin and more than 20 other foreigners established the International Committee for the Nanking Safety Zone, providing sanctuary for over 250,000 Chinese refugees during the Nanjing Massacre.

The 8.7-kilometer route of peace hiking passed through significant historical sites, including the Suiyuan Campus of Nanjing Normal University, former residence of John Rabe, Gulou Hospital, and the former location of the International Committee for the Nanking Safety Zone.

Liu Liu, daughter of Nanjing Massacre survivor Liu Minsheng, told the participants: “My father took refuge at the Ginling College Refugee Shelter. He always remembered international friends like Minnie Vautrin with deep gratitude.”

Employees from Siemens and BSH Home Appliances gathered at the former residence of John Rabe to place flowers. During the Nanjing Massacre, Rabe’s residence became a refugee shelter, housing more than 600 people at its peak. Zhou Feng, Director of the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders, and Jin Shifeng, senior vice president of BSH Home Appliances Greater China, jointly watered a stem of zijin grass, a symbol of peace.

Participants visited the former committee site, examining historical correspondence and reports exchanged between the Safety Zone Committee and Japanese diplomats. At the event’s conclusion, participants penned wishes for peace on postcards and placed them in a “time capsule” at the finish line on the Suiyuan Campus.

Hexu Yuanjing, a doctoral student from School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Nanjing University, and also a guide along the route, shared that “Through this walk, we deeply feel the humanity and compassion demonstrated by international friends, and we rediscover the unique warmth and charm of Nanjing. This is a truly meaningful experience.”

The event was organized by the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders and the National Memory and International Peace Research Institute. Participants include descendants of Nanjing Massacre survivors, representatives of the Red Cross Societies of Jiangsu and Nanjing, Staff from John Rabe and International Safety Zone Memorial Hall, corporate representatives, Zijin Grass volunteer service team members, and students from several universities in Nanjing.

Source: John Rabe and International Safety Zone Memorial Hall