"Being the first torchbearer in my hometown, I really feel the ethnic equality and the respect to Tibetan people," said Cega when he received the Number 001 torchbearer card on Saturday.
"The Olympic flame passes harmony, friendship and solidarity around China," said the 56-year-old Tibetan. "Being a Tibetan torchbearer, I truly feel the warmth and unity in our 56-ethnic family."
Local people in the three stops greeted the flame and the torchbearers with their own ethnic traditions. Folk dances and sings of Tibetan, Mongolian, Hui, Tu, Sala and other ethnic groups could be seen around there.
In Qinghai Lake, a sacred lake in the heart of Tibetans, local Tibetan herds greeted the flame with a nearly-6-kilometer-long white hada, a gift to welcome guest from afar. They also presented hadas and barley wine to the torchbearers from home and abroad.
"Being greeted by our Tibetan compatriots, I feel very fortunate and I'm deeply moved," said torchbearer Liu Yongtao. "The profound friendship between different ethnic groups really impressed me."
PASS THE FLAME, PASS THE LOVE
"We pass the passion and ideal for harmony here. We also show our confidence and courage to help the quake-affected people rebuild home," said torchbearer Wang Xiaoping.
Wang showed a yellow silk belt during his relay. "I want to show our love and care to the quake-stricken people," said he.
Like Wang, all the torchbearers and people in Qinghai never forgot the people affected by the catastrophic May 12 Wenchuan quake in southwest Sichuan.
