Joanna Syson studied and worked in Beijing in the 90's. She had to leave China in a rush to finish making a film in Norway, so she stored all of her stuff with a friend. But when she returned, her friends had disappeared and so had all of her personal belongings, including a large collection of her family photographs.
Wang Weiguo bought Joanna's photos at the Panjiayuan Flea Market. He thought the photos must have been lost, so he kept them. For 12 years, he searched for the owner.
CRI posted the photos on its English website and asked the world to help find the owner. Within three months, someone recognized Joanna's mother in one of the photos, famous Norwegian actress Julie Ege. CRI contacted Joanna and Wang, and have put the two in touch.
Joanna has flown from her current home in London, England to Beijing. She collected her long lost photographs and met Wang Weiguo at a special ceremony at China Radio International in Beijing in the afternoon, August 17, 2011.
Joanna lost a large collection of her family photographs in Beijing in 1997, which were bought by Wang Weiguo at the Panjiayuan Flea Market. CRI posted the photos on its English website and asked the world to help find the owner. In this video, we witness the end of an amazing story. A story that crosses time and places.
Wang Weiguo bought Joanna's lost photos at Panjiayuan Flea Market. CRI arranged a handover ceremony for them.
Name: Monica Kjelsberg 2011-3-20 7:36:17 I read this story via Ella, the sister of the owner of the photos. The story is just almost too impossible to be true, but it is! And what a wonderful story, too.
Name: Tea Time: 2011-3-17 10:39:19 Hi, Eva Bendiksen, thank you for this so important news. We are now trying to contact with her daughters. I have sent messages on Ella's facebook. And all I know about Joanna is she possibly live in Shanghai right now.IF you have more information, you can sent email to me, my email address is hydebest2004@yahoo.com.cn
Name: Eva Bendiksen 2011-3-16 17:57:33 Julie Ege had 2 daughters. I'm sure that both her daughter, Joanna & Ella are on the pictures.
Name: Eva Bendiksen 2011-3-16 0:13:50 Julie Ege, the lady with the norwegian flag, was known as a model and actress. She had a role in a Bond-movie. She was born i Sandnes, a city near Stavanger in Norway. She died of cancer a few years ago. I don't know where her daughter lives but I have given this link to the a norwegian broadcast company.
Name: Signar Berger 2011-3-16 0:01:24 This is Julie Ege and her daughter Ella.
Name: Time: 2010-12-28 17:43:45 Come on, friends all over the world, the owner will be found!
Name: Time: 2010-12-28 12:54:33 A touching story. Hope she can get her photoes one day. I believe this.
Name: michael wan 2010-12-28 11:18:33 Because of the great influence of Cri in the scope of world,this right person can be found someday. THe key point is anyone who sees this page if he or she has any friends or relatives looks like the girl in the pictures,they should share with others this information.
China Daily: On A Stranger's Secret Service During a trip to the Panjiayuan flea market in 1999, Wang Weiguo stumbled across 20 exquisite frames and was immediately attracted by the photos in them.
Global Times: We Finally Found Her! Joanna Syson excitedly received the recovered pictures when they were handed over by their faithful protector, Wang Weiguo.
Global Times: Lost Memories Found A collection of old photos was finally returned to its owner, a Norwegian named Joanna Syson, at the headquarters of CRI in Beijing.
CNTV: Beyond Century and Border, Lost Memories Found It's an important day of August 17th, 2011, when Joanna Syson came all the way from England to Beijing for a group of photos, which were lost 12 years ago.
CRI Audio: The Ties That Bind Recently CRI brought you the incredible story of a woman's photos that were found in a Beijing flea market, and one man's quest to return them to their rightful owner.
