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Tag: Literacy

  • ‘Reverse Viking’ row: Norfolk to Denmark in pursuit of re-writing of the history of exploration

    This Saturday, 08 August, Christian Havrehed, Danish adventurer, inspirational speaker & EwC Adventure Ambassador, will push off in an ocean-going rowing boat destined for Copenhagen in Denmark. This 300-nautical mile journey will include rowing both in the North Sea and up the Eider Kanal across Germany just as the Vikings did centuries ago. Setting out from Lowestoft Marina in Suffolk on a ‘reverse Viking row’ should take 4-8 days, subject to prevailing winds, weather and busy traffic in the shipping lanes. 

    This will not be Christian’s first sea-going row – nor his last! In 2001, he rowed with Chinese athlete, Sun Haibin, across the Atlantic in 56 days, in the newly inaugurated Ward-Evans Atlantic Rowing Challenge.  The purpose of the journey this Saturday is for Christian to take delivery of his new ocean rowing boat, in anticipation of a much larger row next year from Ningbo in Eastern China to Japan in May 2021.

    “I believe that history can be brought alive through the medium of adventure,” says Christian. “Since 2001, I have been researching whether the Chinese & Vikings visited America before Columbus. The row commencing on 08 August, together with further historical research and other nautical adventures, will look for physical clues to back up historical claims.” 

    The launch date, 08/08, is most auspicious in Chinese culture and is often associated with good luck. As it happens, the captain of this row will be Chris Martin, founder of New Ocean Wave Ltd, and the first person to row across both the Atlantic & the Pacific Oceans. Two marines will also be pulling the oars with them, on a gruelling 2-hour on and two hours off cycle so the crew should be in several pairs of safe hands!

    EwC directors, Theresa Booth & H-J Colston, will be at Lowestoft Marina on Saturday morning to cheer on the crew as they meet each other for the first time and familiarise themselves with the boat. The British are obsessed with the weather but, when you are about to set out into the North Sea, busy with ocean-going vessels, it is important to minimise risks, where possible. Subject to the weather and tides, the crew hopes to launch on the afternoon high tide.

    Christian’s company is called Yantu, (沿途) which in Chinese means “along the way.” His slogan is, “合作可以更多”or, “together we can do more.” Engage with China is proud to have been nominated as a Campaign support partner for these journeys and will accompany him virtually “along the way” as our logo will be visible on the side of the boat.

    Christian hopes to raise funds during these adventures to support cross-cultural understanding and Engage with China hopes that, by supporting Christian’s academic research and these adventures, we can do more together to build China literacy in UK schools by enabling young people to make connections across other curriculum subjects, such as history and geography and build curiosity about China.

    [To stay updated on this rowing journey and other EwC news, follow us on Twitter or sign up for our latest News]

  • “China Remembers” – to understand China now, you need to uncover its history

    One of our Engage with China Ambassadors, Zhang Lijia, journalist and social commentator, is re-publishing “China Remembers,” a book she co-authored with former China Correspondent for both USA Today & subsequently The Times, Calum MacLeod in 1999. A book like this will not be out of date, even twenty years on. What it captures is the stories of the lives of ordinary people, who lived through unprecedented change and tumultuous times that were the hallmark of China from the 1950s to the end of the last century. Told through a kaleidoscope of eye-witness accounts, including street vendors, rubbish collectors, business people, a Red Guard and a farmer, the true story of what happened in China and how it affected the lives of ordinary people and their hopes for the future, is laid bare.

    The authors of the book, quote Chairman Mao as saying that he “likened China to a blank word on which fine words could be written.” I am looking at my original, signed copy now. Mao’s China has certainly changed dramatically in the decades since his death. Sir Edward Heath, former Prime Minister and one who engaged positively with China, added his testimonial to the book, saying, “…the stories compiled here resonate with courage, determination and confidence in a brighter future.” That future has certainly become brighter for hundreds of millions of people who have been lifted out of poverty during recent decades of China’s economic rise. Chinese entrepreneurs, innovators & ground-breaking billionaires like Jack Ma of Alibaba, whilst the exception, are testament to the opportunities and change that have occurred in China and show that socialism there has “Chinese” but also capitalist characteristics.

    One way of achieving change was through education and Mao had an aim to build nationwide literacy. Leafing through the book, I look at the story of Zhang Tong, a teacher, who was part of the study school movement to help educate the country from 1949. Back then, only 10% of the population was literate. Credit to the Communist Party for starting to tackle the problem, simplifying the writing system and giving more opportunities to girls. However, at the time of the original publication of Lijia’s book, only 6% of China’s young and middle aged were still illiterate by 1999. I remember travelling in rural Yunnan Province in 1991 and meeting elderly women who could not read or write. According to 2018 statistics, literacy in China stands at 96.8% of those aged 15+ and has grown at over 10% since the 1960s. That’s incredible change in my book.

    I encourage you to enjoy reading these human stories including from a former administrator at the Potala Palace, a friend of Comrade Lei Feng and a collector of Mao badges. Through them you will get a rich insight into the complex threads of life and experiences whose legacy inform the tapestry of China’s modern reality. Understanding China’s past will help us to understand its present context. Engage with China is an educational charity committed to removing illiteracy about China in UK schools. We have much to gain and much to learn from knowing China better.

    Available now from Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/China-Remembers-extraordinary-personal-journeys-ebook/dp/B08CNJGF57/ref=sr_1_2