Chongqing - A press conference on the China Chongqing (Shizhu) World Bee Day Main Venue Event was held at the Chongqing News Center last Saturday, officially announcing Chongqing's Shizhu Tujia Autonomous County as China's main venue for hosting the upcoming series of activities to celebrate the World Bee Day, which falls on May 20 each year.

"In December of 2017, the United Nations General Assembly officially passed the resolution to designate May 20 as World Bee Day, " said Chen Lihong, secretary-general of the Apicultural Science Association of China, at the press conference. "The establishment of the World Bee Day not only aims to rouse public awarenesses for the protection of bees but also to resolve such global issues as famine, food security, environmental protection, and biodiversity."

China has hosted more World Bee Day thematic activities than any other country globally, and with the most overall participants in various provinces, municipalities, and regions.

This year's Shizhu World Bee Day thematic event is slated to be held in Zhongyi Township from May 19 to 21, with a bonfire party featuring local singers and dancers scheduled on the evening of May 19; a grand opening featuring award-presenting, plate-conferring, agreement-signing, and group-wedding ceremonies, discussion, forums, and summits, and a guided tour to the "No. 1 Chinese Beekeeping Town" scheduled on May 20; as well as a "bees and rural revitalization" thematic photography exhibition scheduled from April 1 to May 21.

Some 130 international experts, industry leaders, government officials, and representatives of the country's various beekeeping enterprises will be invited to this year's event, including the President of the Asian Apicultural Association, Prof. Siriwat Wongsiri, and the Chairman of the Apicultural Science Association of China Wu Jie.

Hosting this China Chongqing (Shizhu), World Bee Day Main Venue Event bears great significance for promoting high-quality development and high-quality livelihood and strengthening the beekeeping industry, and combining the achievements of poverty alleviation with the efforts of rural revitalization, according to Chen.

World Bee Day is very popular and has been widely celebrated in almost every part of the country and would normally come with only one main venue. But since this year marks the first year of China's 14th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development (2021-2025) and coincides with the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the upcoming edition of China Chongqing (Shizhu) World Bee Day Main Venue Event will have seven additional regional venues and many more sub-venues in the various provinces.

"The main reason for choosing Shizhu as the main venue for hosting this year's China World Bee Day thematic activities is that its Zhongyi Township was recently awarded as a national model for poverty alleviation," said Chen. "And we want to benefit from the publicity of Shizhu's national honor and make it an exemplary demonstration case for poverty alleviation via beekeeping to all beekeepers in the country."