By Keen Zhang
zhangr@china.org.cn
International Kung Fu star Jet Li celebrated the first anniversary of philanthropic efforts by his charity foundation today in Beijing. A China.org.cn reporter witnessed as additional powerful figures took part in the event.
Jet Li established The One Foundation in partnership with the China Red Cross Society on April 17, 2007.
Yesterday Jet Li finished promoting his latest motion picture The Forbidden Kingdom, his joint effort with another Kung Fu superstar Jackie Chan. Chan is also committed to Jet Li's charity.
The foundation advocates: "1 person + 1 dollar/yuan + 1 month = 1 big family". If each person donates at least one dollar/yuan each month, individual donations could be transformed into a much greater fund. By merging charitable strength, the foundation ensures that the most vulnerable members of the global family would receive the help they need.
The anniversary ceremony today publicized last year’s achievements. Up through April 15, the foundation raised 10 million yuan (10,677,226.87 yuan precisely), with 648,287 yuan raised via mobile phone channels. Nearly 600,000 individuals participated in the fundraising.
The foundation donated charity funds four times last year: to victims of the Yunnan Pu'er earthquake, to victims of the Shandong flood, to recipients of the Sunshine in Your Heart Project under Red Cross Society of China; and to victims of China's southern snow disaster which swept through 17 provinces early this year. In total, 2.3 million yuan was donated.
Huayi Brothers, a leading Chinese film studio, also formed a new partnership with Jet Li's foundation. In the coming 10 years, 10 Chinese cents will be donated by the film investors via tickets purchased for films produced by the Huayi studio. Moreover, at the same time, any cinema screening their films will also donate 1 cent per ticket.
"This is my dream," Jet Li said at the ceremony, "If I do nothing, my life is zero; if I do one thing, my life will have more meaning. And this is just beginning."
