Quake rebuilding in South West China

A group of 11 foreign photographers are in southwest China's Sichuan Province to cover its progress in home rebuilding and folk culture preservation after the devastating earthquake of 2008. The photographers arrived in the provincial capital Chengdu on Thursday, said Zhu Yangming, a renowned art historian who masterminded the event. Their 10-day tour will take them to quake-battered cities of Deyang and Mianyang, as well as the Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, known for its unique ethnic culture including the Qiang embroidery, said Zhu. "They will record Sichuan's progress in post-quake rebuilding and restoration of the unique ethnic culture, as well as its landscape and high tech development," he said. Italian photographer Ettore Ferrari said it was his first ever trip to China and he hoped to focus on human interest themes and show the world how the Chinese people stand up against calamities. Jose Manuel Ballester Pinillos from Spain is on his ninth China visit but is in Sichuan for the first time. He said he was particularly interested in China's culture and history. The delegation also consists of photographers from several other countries including the United States, France, Britain, Germany, Japan, Australia and Russia. The "zoom-in on Sichuan" event is co-sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and the Sichuan provincial government. Zhu said the organizers will host international photo exhibitions next year to showcase the photographers' work. The best 300 pieces will be compiled into an album. "With the exhibitions and publication, we hope to keep the world updated on Sichuan's latest developments," he said. "This is also our way to express thanks to our worldwide friends for their post-quake assistance to China." After the 8.0-Magnitude earthquake shook Sichuan in May 2008, many countries lent a helping hand by donating cash, relief materials and sending rescue teams to the province.