Gain a sense of being part of one world, whether they live in Lansing, Michigan, in the United States of America or in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, in the People's Republic of China. China Project began in 1988 with start-up funding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Michigan Council on Arts and Cultural Affairs and 55 other Michigan foundations, businesses and individuals. All funding was awarded through the Michigan 4-H Foundation . It is important that children develop bridges of awareness, understanding and appreciation of other cultures. If these bridges, or experiences, are vivid enough and tied to a child's daily life, they will last a lifetime and affect his or her adult decisions and behaviors.
China is an important country to study because one-fifth of the world's people live there.
The Chinese culture, which is more than 3500 years old, is the oldest continuously-existing culture in the world. It embodies traditions rich in the arts, sciences and philosophy. China is also home to the fastest-growing economy in the world. It is a country that our children and young people must be prepared to understand and negotiate with in the future. More than 125,000 Michigan young people, from most of Michigan's 83 counties, have participated in this project.