In temporary shelters across earthquake-stricken Caracas, Venezuela, volunteers staged puppet shows for children, hoping to provide a brief escape from the trauma and bring smiles back to their faces.
Two earthquakes, both above magnitude 7, struck Venezuela on June 24. The death toll has risen to 2,295, with 11,267 injured, according to Venezuelan National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez on Wednesday.
Organized by Venezuela's Ministry of Culture, the volunteers have been touring temporary shelters in Caracas, entertaining children with glove puppet shows. Laughter often fills the air, offering young survivors a welcome break from the trauma.
"We are committed to helping children, adolescents and families in distress and suffering from trauma. Nothing is more powerful than art, entertainment, and culture in soothing their hearts and healing their spirits," said 62-year-old Gallardo, a volunteer performer.
All the glove puppets -- macaws, monkeys and jaguars -- were handmade by Gallardo and her team members. Before each show, she would hide them and invite the children to guess which animal would appear first. Then, through the puppets, she would bring to life stories of Venezuela's natural world and its wildlife.
"We brought glove puppets that represent Venezuela's iconic wildlife, like the macaw, one of the country's most emblematic birds; monkeys that inhabit its rainforests; and the jaguar," Gallardo said.
Accompanied by Venezuela's traditional instruments, Gallardo sang softly as the children sat around her, immersing themselves in the music and tales. Meanwhile, other volunteers from a circus troupe, dressed as clowns, performed magic shows and acrobatic routines with exaggerated comical gestures, drawing bursts of laughter from the children.
"We are all here -- stilt walkers, puppeteers, storytellers, poets, painters, and everyone working in Venezuela's arts and culture -- with one goal: to be with these children and give them a little joy and a moment of peace," Gallardo said.
Puppet shows bring laughter back to quake-affected children's faces in Venezuela
An exchange event bringing together young baseball players from China and the United States is underway in Fuzhou, the capital of east China's Fujian province, providing a platform for these young people to build friendships and enhance mutual understanding through sports and cultural exchanges.
The event, "Bond with Kuliang: 2026 China-U.S. Youth Baseball Exhibition Games and Sports Festival," runs from Monday to Thursday.
As part of the event, exhibition games featuring four U.S. youth teams and four Chinese teams were held on Tuesday at Fuzhou's Pingtan Baseball Park.
In an exciting game, China's Fujian Provincial Baseball Team took on the U.S. Northeastern State University RiverHawks. Hits, diving catches, and every brilliant play ignited the crowd, creating an electric atmosphere.
"It's honestly once in a lifetime opportunity and experience, because it's a great way to get along, have fun and just build friendships together," said Hill from the U.S. Northeastern State University RiverHawks.
But it wasn't just about the competition. A touching moment unfolded when an American player injured his finger during a game. A Chinese player noticed right away and quickly called for a medic.
"Injuries are hard to avoid in baseball. They can happen suddenly. There was no team doctor in the opposing team's dugout, so I called out to our side to see if they had any plasters, and asked our medic to help treat him," said Lu Yun from the Fujian Provincial Baseball Team.
"One of their players was nice enough to give me a bandage. The only ones I know in Mandarin are thank you (Xiexie), so that's what I said. It's cool how baseball can connect even if you don't speak the same language; you can play baseball together," U.S. player Osborne expressed his gratitude.
Beyond the baseball matches, the young athletes also visited Minjiang University in Fuzhou City as part of the event, where they played basketball and learned Chinese martial arts together. During the campus visit, they also explored a university lab to learn about innovative research and achievements.
Baseball events in Fuzhou build friendship between China, US youth
