BANGKOK, Aug. 12, 2025 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--
Recently, "Poetry Lights the Heart's Lantern" Bangkok lantern and poem festival, a public welfare initiative by China UnionPay under its Poetry POS Machine campaign, kicked off at Iconsiam, Bangkok's landmark riverside complex. This marks the campaign's first foray overseas, extending its reach of love beyond China's borders.
Timed to coincide with a Chinese lantern festival in Thailand, the UnionPay booth, nestled beneath the China-Thailand friendship lantern display, stood out prominently. At its center hung a stunning large lantern, surrounded by smaller ones adorned with children's poems in both Chinese and Thai.
On site, Thai children recited verses by Chinese kids, soaking in the innocence and joy from across the miles. Visitors could donate by swiping their UnionPay cards on the POS machine, receiving a bilingual (Chinese-Thai) poetry receipt as a keepsake. They could also record their own poetry readings for free, taking home a postcard with a QR code linking to their audio -- a unique memento of their participation.
Notably, all proceeds from the event will go toward improving local children's lives and education through a Thai charitable foundation.
"We believe that while China and Thailand are separated by distance, the sincerity and warmth in poetry remain universal," noted a China UnionPay spokesperson.
"Poetry is humanity's common language, a haven where all souls find refuge. Like light itself, no matter where it shines, it embodies our shared longing for brightness and warmth," the spokesperson added. "This initiative is more than a gesture of goodwill; it's a cultural dialogue and a heartfelt connection."
As a leading international payment network, UnionPay is widely accepted in Thailand, with its global footprint spanning 183 countries and regions. It is hoped that the Poetry POS Machine will serve as a unique philanthropic bridge -- linking people worldwide with children eager to share their voices, and uniting individuals from diverse cultures through their shared appreciation for poetry, innocence, and beauty.
Since its launch in 2019, the UnionPay Poetry POS Machine campaign has reached over 400 schools in mountainous areas across Anhui, Henan, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Xinjiang, and beyond, supporting more than 7,000 local children in accessing art education.
Source: China UnionPay
