The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) conferred the UNICEF-China Leadership for Children Media Awards for the 1996-2000 Country Program to famous Chinese film director Zhang Yimou and five media recipients Tuesday for their outstanding contributions to the children's cause in China during the past five years.

The UNICEF believes that Zhang's film Not One Less, which tells the story of a strong-willed village primary school teacher who insists on bringing one of her students back to the classroom, has raised the question of children's education in China's remote and poverty-stricken rural areas.

The film, which won a Golden Lion at the 56th annual Venice Film Festival, is of high artistic value and social benefit as well.

The five institutional recipients are the Programs Center for Youth and Children of China Central Television (CCTV), China Daily, China Radio International, ISL-Team China and Saatchi and Saatchi-Beijing.

According to the UNICEF, they have offered great support to UNICEF projects in China in the past five years and have evoked wide social attention to children's well being through their efforts.

(People's Daily 05/16/2001)