Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital strengthens cooperation with China
Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital in Norway has been involved in a professional exchange programme with China Rehabilitation and Research Center since 1991. This week the leadership of Sunnaas is visiting Beijing to strengthen this cooperation programme. The overall aim is to help improve the situation for China's 60 million disabled people, and to be inspired by traditional Chinese medicine.
There will be a seminar on rehabilitation medicine in Beijing, and there will be signing of a friendship agreement between Sunnaas and a hospital in Yinchuan City.
Sunnaas has also made an agreement with the All-China Women's Federation to support their campaign "Attention for the future care for children", where Mark Jiapeng Wang and Shen Lipeng are he front persons. Mark Jiapeng Wang was injured in an air crash 12 years old, and received a scholarship to United World College in Norway by HM Queen Sonja of Norway, when she visited China Rehabilitation and Research Center in 1997. He was also treated at Sunnaas, is now able to walk by crutches, and is a great example for China's disabled that rehabilitation and education are important. He is also working as contact person between Sunnaas and China.
During the celebration of Sunnaas' 50-years Anniversary in 2004, an opera-musical about the life of Mark and his Norwegian friend Ketil Moe was presented. All-China Women's Federation has invited this opera-musical to be presented in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on October 16th, as part of their nation-wide campaign. Leaders from Sunnaas and United World College will be present.
Thomas Stanghelle and Song Records Norway are responsible for the cultural event, and Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital for the professional part of the programme. UNESCO has also supported this event, and Mr. Einar Steensnæs, former Minister of Petroleum and Energy, now Member of the Executive Committee of UNESCO will give the opening remarks.