A museum in southwest China is compiling publications from around the world for a special exhibition to commemorate the May 12 earthquake.

Qiang Folklore Museum curator Gao Zeyou said the collection would focus on newspapers that ran quake stories from May 13 to May 31.

He said it would appreciate contributions from the media and public, especially overseas friends who could provide foreign-language newspapers.

All the materials collected would be preserved in the "May 12 earthquake memorial" in the museum.

Guangming Daily was the first of China's official media groups to donate its special disaster edition, which was published on May 22.

The Qiang Folklore Museum is in the Beichuan Qiang Autonomous County, one of the worst-hit places in Sichuan Province.

The death toll from the disaster stood at 69,222 as of Thursday, with the number of missing at 18,176 and the injured at 374,638.

One of the deadliest natural disasters in modern Chinese history, the earthquake saw an unprecedented outpouring of humanitarian assistance and many stories of courage and selflessness.

Premier Wen Jiabao, three-year-old Lang Zheng who saluted his saviors from a stretcher, and "police mama" Jiang Xiaojuan who breast fed infant survivors were among the most influential figures during the disaster.

Nine-year-old Lin Hao, who risked his life and suffered multiple injuries rescuing schoolmates from collapsed buildings, walked alongside flag bearer Yao Ming at the Olympic Games opening ceremony on Friday.

(Xinhau News Agency August 11, 2008)