Over a beautiful scene the sun is lingering

Alive sweet with breath of early spring  

                     —IESD Chongming Trip

On March 21, 2023, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Tongji Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development (IESD) organized an ecological study tour to Chongming. A total of 75 international students and 9 Chinese students participated in the trip, which aimed to deepen international students' understanding of China's local culture and environment, as well as to improve communication and interaction between Chinese and foreign students.

In this season of long grass and light rain, IESD students and teachers came to the beautiful Chongming Island, and visited the Chongming Ecological Planning Exhibition Hall. The pavilion fulfilled the design concept of modern, international and ecological, successfully transforming Chongming Planning Exhibition Hall from a traditional display space into a modern high-tech display space integrating performance, experience and interaction, which made the international students marvel at it.

Figure 1: Chinese and foreign students watch the Chongming planning film

Figure 2: The guide explains the past, present and future of Chongming

Figure 3: IESD group photo

In the afternoon, the international students and Chinese students participated in a local folklore activity: making Chongming cakes by hand, which the students were eager to try and make and taste. After that, everyone went to the ecological strawberry base to experience the picking activity with great interest. At the end of the day, every student came back with a full load.

Figure 4: International students experience hand-made Chongming cake

Figure 5: International students experience picking ecological strawberries

The trip to Chongming not only gave the international students a new awareness of the local ecological environment in Shanghai, but also included a sense of identification with their majors. In addition, the spring trip not only helped international students understand China's ecological policies and concepts, but also conveyed President Xi Jinping's ecological concept of Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, so that international students can truly know, love and appreciate China.

[Photoed/Written by Song Shuwei]

[Reviewed by Liu Yongxiang]