A three-hour grand donation show was staged Sunday evening on China Central Television, raising more than 1.5 billion yuan, or some 200 million U.S. dollars, for the earthquake-hit areas in Sichuan Province.

It was jointly initiated by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the Ministry of Culture, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television and four other organizations.

Senior Chinese leader Li Changchun, who is a Standing Committee member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, attended the event.

The show, with the theme "Devotion of Love", gathered a huge group of past and present celebrities in the nation's cultural and entertainment circles. It mainly featured performances and stories of earthquake victims and their rescuers.

One of the show's directors, Chen Linchun, said the event aims to boost the nation's confidence in fighting the disaster.

"It's a solemn event. Completely different from past shows in terms of tone and style. We're presenting the show to the nation to encourage each and every one of us to stand together with confidence before this huge disaster."

Peng Liyuan, a well-known folk singer, voiced her hope.

"The earthquake may have destroyed our homes, but it may never shatter our strong will. As long as we stand together, we will soon rebuild our homes."

During the show, hotlines were opened to accept donations from domestic and overseas audience. Participants also actively made their donations on stage.
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