Dimash, other foreigners pray for people in Sichuan

Shortly after the earthquake struck Jiuzhaigou county in Southwest China's Sichuan province, more than 20 foreigners from nine countries offer their prayers in a video uploaded on Thursday.

The foreigners, including Kazakh singer Dimash Kudaibergenov, who is now a household name in China, said their prayers and best wishes were with the victims of the tragedy.

In the video, Dimash, the ambassador of "I'm in China", a cultural exchanges project in which foreign stars, online celebrities and volunteers are invited to visit different parts of the country to experience local culture and customs, and 21 other foreigners sent their wishes by saying "Stay strong, Sichuan" in Chinese.

Sima Zomorodian, an Iranian doctoral student at the Sichuan University, expressed her shock and said she was prepared to help the people there.

"I can't be with you, but my heart is with you. I'm praying for you," said Kalanova Irina Rimovna, a student of surgery at the Sichuan University.

Some of the foreigners in the video expressed their gratitude to Ganzi and Aba, the prefectures in Sichuan they recently visited. Danil Galiullin and Minigalin Daniil, two students of surgery from Russia were among them.

"Thank you, Aba, for your hospitality. We are all with you during these (tough) times. We cannot be with our friends in Aba, but our hearts are always with them. We are praying for you."

Other foreigners ranging from professors to consultants echoed their shock and regret and willingness to help the people in Sichuan in the video uploaded by "I'm in China", a cultural exchanges project initiated by China International Communication Center and related institutions and launched in February.