Ningxia Hui resident watches V-Day parade from platform with pride

Wang Lanhua beamed with pride on Wednesday morning as she appeared on the viewing platform during the V-Day parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

A Party member in her 70s and a recipient of the July 1 Medal from Wuzhong city, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, Wang attended the parade for the second time, having been invited to the 70th anniversary commemorations a decade ago.

"The parade showcases our nation's strength," Wang said. "All ethnic groups should 'unite closely like pomegranate seeds', and our unity ensures peace and prosperity."

After retiring as director of a community residents' committee in Wuzhong's Litong district in 2004, she founded the city's first community volunteer service group with six other retirees the following year.

"When people come to us, it means they trust us," she said. "And we must not let them down."

Over the past 20 years, Wuzhong's volunteer services group has grown from the initial seven members to more than 65,000, helping resolve more than 7,500 community issues and mediating over 680 disputes.