Face to face with Jackie Chan

From Kumuduni Het-tiarachchi in Virginia, USA

He is short, was my first impression as a white stretch (really long) limo pulled up and out he jumped. As he walked to the playground of a school in Virginia, America the students began to scream in excitement. Then it was a chat with the students, a short helicopter ride and more words with the students — all this for a video production.

Thereafter, it was a walk through the school, stepping into the classrooms, shaking the hands not only of children but also teachers and also singing a few lines of Willie Nelson's "You were always on my mind". But there were no kicks, punches or stunts, for which he is well known back home. Here he was, the man from the martial arts movies so popular in Sri Lanka. This was Jackie Chan in real life, standing a few feet away from me. But the "scene" seemed unreal and also the fact that I was here thousands of miles from home, standing face to face with Jackie Chan.

His white limo came with another long black limo. His tall, silver-haired aide in dark glasses, though it was raining, looked like his companions in his movies — imperious looking and also ready to assist him whenever the need arose, especially in pronouncing very American phrases like "super duper". Chan was taking part in an education programme about flying being produced by NASA and it was in a school uniquely named "Achievable Dreams". In the show for which the video is being produced, the students are involved in a competition to build a plane. Chan was chosen to visit the school as a role model because his movies don't have drugs, drink, sex or the F-word.

Chan was more excited than the students for whom his visit had been kept a secret. "I do get scared sometimes, but I never give up," was Chan's reassuring reply when one child asked, "What do you do when challenged?" He also had a lot to say about education. "When I was young, there was no time to sleep. All my time was taken up with kicking and punching," said this action-comic actor, who was casually dressed in white pants, white T-shirt and maroon coat, kept unbuttoned.

"Slowly, I find education is more important than kicking or punching. You can kick and punch until 50 or 60, but what do you do after that. What about 80? That's why I started to learn English. Now I also learn computer. That's also why I want to help all those children who want to go to school."

Chan is in America till October, thereafter heading for Europe and then home to Hong Kong. In November he starts his next movie, "Rush Hour II" — a sequel to "Rush Hour I" — which will be filmed in Hong Kong and America. Rush Hour I features Chan as a Chinese police officer on an exchange programme working with a Los Angeles detective played by Chris Tucker. He has been in the movies for 37 years since he was a child in Hong Kong and considered Superman, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly and Charlie Chaplin as his heroes. Today they have been replaced by Steven Spielberg.

They need support

The Seva Vanitha Unit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs last week presented scholarships to the children of soldiers killed or missing in action. The ceremony which was graced by the Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar and Mrs Kadirgamar, Defence Secretary Chandrananda de Silva and other dignitaries was held at the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress hall in Colombo.

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Kadirgamar said that ensuring the uninterrupted education of these children who suffered great tragedy in their lives had been their prime concern.

The Minister said that political and regional considerations had played no part in the selection of scholarship recipients who were chosen through interviews conducted islandwide. He stressed that the scheme would continue, irrespective of political changes. A sum of Rs 4.2 million has been deposited with the People's Bank for this purpose, he said.

The scholarship awards scheme is in its third year and the Minister expressed the hope that society would come forward to take the responsibility to ensure physical and emotional support for these children.

Secretary, Ministry of Defence Chandrananda de Silva appealed to volunteer organisations to support the soldiers, as many have already done. He also spoke on the work of the Ranaviru Foundation that has been set up for the welfare of soldiers wounded or killed in action and their families.

Ms. Suganthie Wijayas-uriya Kadirgamar, President of the Foreign Ministry Seva Vanitha unit in her address stressed that it is the children who are the ultimate victims of war and providing for their education was a worthy cause. Much support had come from the sub-units of the Sri Lankan missions abroad, she added.

The vote of thanks was given by two children Sampath Sirimanne and Prathibha Thalpalwila in Sinhala and English respectively.

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