Artists of China Disabled People's Performing Art Troupe perform thousand-hand Bodhisattva at Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Aug. 31, 2017. (Xinhua/Xu Jinquan)
A group of Chinese artists with disabilities on Thursday night gave a breath-taking show in the Palais de Nations, the UN headquarters in Geneva, to more than 1,000 audiences, including over 30 ambassadors and senior international organization leaders.
The artists, from the famous China Disabled People's Performing Art Troupe, presented the audiences with their best pieces, especially the Thousand-hand Bodhisattva dance and the beautiful Chinese folk song, Jasmine Flower.
The performance, named My Dream, was jointly sponsored by the Chinese Mission in Geneva and the United Nations Office at Geneva.
Ma Zhaoxu, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of China to the UN Office at Geneva, said during the opening of the performance that this world-famous group has toured 100 countries and regions since its founding 30 years ago, winning hearts and tears wherever they went.
"Yes, they may have difficulty seeing this colorful world or hearing its beautiful sounds, but this does not shake their passion for art and life," Ma said.
"They are the living examples of the value of life, the strength of willpower, and human dignity. They present the Chinese dream for a better and harmonious life," he added.
According to the senior Chinese diplomat, there are 85 million Chinese living with disabilities. The Chinese government is committed to protecting and promoting their rights and fully implementing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
In the past five years alone, Ma explained, 5.88 million people with disabilities in rural China were lifted out of poverty, and over 10 million people with disabilities around the country received state subsistence allowances.
Michael Moller, UN Under-Secretary-General and Director-General of the UN Office at Geneva, said that the outstanding work of the performing arts ensemble stands symbolically for China's efforts to better integrate people with disabilities and to encourage their participation in society.
"My dream, the name of tonight's show, is about making dreams come true for people with disabilities, not only in China, but around the world," he said.
Founded in 1987, the China Disabled People's Performing Art Troupe is supposed to promote self-respect, self-confidence, and self-reliance and its outstanding work has been recognized on many occasions.
The President of the China Disabled Persons' Federation, Mr. Deng Pufang, who established the China Disabled People' Performing Arts Troupe, received the UN Prize for Human Rights in 2003.
