China Overseas Chinese Network, April 12. According to the news of the "East to West" WeChat public account of "Europe Times", on April 10, local time, the Qingming Memorial was initiated by the French Chinese Association and participated by more than 20 overseas Chinese groups in France. The activities of Chinese workers in World War I were held at the Nolette Chinese worker cemetery, the largest Chinese worker cemetery in the north of Paris.

　　Located in the town of Noyelles-sur-Mer in the Somme province on the northwest coast of France, the Nolette Chinese cemetery is the largest Chinese cemetery in Europe. It was built in 1921. A total of 884 Chinese workers who died during the First World War were buried here.

Since this cemetery was discovered by Chinese living in France, representatives of overseas Chinese come here every year to commemorate it.

　　The deputy mayor of Galliani said that the town has been working hard to excavate and organize the data of Chinese workers for many years, and this move has received strong support and assistance from overseas Chinese in France. The cemetery has become a witness and bridge of Sino-French friendship.

　　Ding Weixing, chairman of the Sino-French Cultural Exchange Foundation, was one of the first Chinese to initiate the commemoration of Chinese workers, and he has been running for the affairs of Chinese workers for many years.

Now, although his legs and feet are inconvenient, he still issued a commemorative appeal as in previous years and personally came to the cemetery to present flowers to the ancestors.

　　Wen Ruichao, chairman of the French Chaozhou Guild Hall, said that the commemoration of Chinese workers in World War I on Qingming Festival has become a tradition in the overseas Chinese community. Deepening France-China friendship and bilateral exchanges and cooperation in various fields play their role.

　　Chen Shaoqi, executive chairman of the French Association for the Promotion of the Peaceful Reunification of China, pointed out that the Chinese workers in World War I not only contributed to the peace of Europe, but also defended the dignity and interests of the country on different occasions, and established a spiritual monument for overseas Chinese, which will always be remembered by everyone. and learning.

　　Xu Dayu, president of the Chinese Association of Veterans of the French Foreign Legion, said that although the Chinese workers in World War I were recruited as laborers, many of them became real soldiers, joined the battle with guns, and sacrificed their lives for it.

They are fighters and guardians of peace.

Now the Chinese soldiers of the French Foreign Legion have inherited this tradition, and we must contribute to world peace.

　　In the national anthems of China, France and the UK, everyone expressed their condolences and laid flowers at the tomb of Huagong.

The Chinese Veterans Association of the French Foreign Legion also prepared a guard of honor.

On the same day, a commemorative photo exhibition of Chinese workers of Ding Weixing Foundation was held outside the cemetery, displaying the collected pictures of Chinese workers in World War I, and more vividly showing the lives of Chinese workers in World War I and their working conditions on the battlefield, so that everyone can cherish the memory of their ancestors. Remember the contribution of Chinese workers.

(Huang Guanjie)