China and Latin America Youth Nature Observation Program Launched in Lima, Peru

Lima, Peru - On November 5, the "Land 🙂 Sea: China and Latin America Youth Nature Observation Program" was officially launched in Lima, Peru, with a special opening ceremony and a public seminar on ecological civilization exchange between Chinese and Peruvian youth. The ceremony brought together representatives from environmental NGOs in Peru, Chile, and Argentina, as well as 20 local youth delegates.

The event was co-hosted by the Chongqing Luhai International Communication Foundation and Mil Gotas Editorial, with the Chongqing Dimensions Art Center as a co-organizer and support from the Embassy of the Republic of Peru in China. 

Led by Chen Can, Deputy Secretary-General of the Chongqing Luhai International Communication Foundation, attendees toured the "Eagle City" themed exhibition, which showcased Chongqing's geography, ecology, and iconic species. Chen introduced the city's identity through the story of raptor migration.

"Chongqing is the world's only megacity located beneath a migratory raptor flyway and atop a parallel mountain range. Hundreds of thousands of raptors pass through the city's skies each year, truly earning its title as the 'Eagle City,'" said Chen.

She added that the Andes-Rocky mountain range in Peru, like Chongqing's parallel mountain range, is one of the world's three major parallel ranges. It is also an important stop for migratory raptors. The foundation hopes to use raptors as a bridge for cultural exchange between China and Latin America, fostering mutual understanding and working together to promote global biodiversity conservation.

Nadia Lavroff, founder of Argentina's NGO Futuro Asociación Civil, was impressed by Chongqing's natural beauty and the public initiatives being carried out. "These photos helped me better understand the Chinese people's vision for achieving harmony between cities, ecosystems, and people," Nadia said.

Following the exhibition, NGO representatives from Peru, Chile, and Argentina shared their ecological conservation and environmental protection initiatives at the China-Peru Youth Ecological Civilization Exchange Salon. Representatives discussed challenges and solutions in their regions and their hopes for future collaboration with Chinese NGOs. 

Fondo Verde, a Peruvian NGO, focuses on providing clean water and energy to impoverished areas, promoting clean cookstoves, installing solar panels, and conducting environmental education in schools. Nadia Lavroff, founder of Argentina's Futuro-Asociación Civil, highlighted their efforts in urban tree planting and establishing seed banks to protect local species. Uno.Cinco from Chile encourages youth involvement in climate change discussions and energy transition and actively participates in the United Nations Climate Change Conferences. These initiatives align with the Chongqing Luhai International Communication Foundation's goals, and the foundation looks forward to future collaborations with Latin American NGOs to promote public welfare and youth exchanges between China and Latin America.

After visiting the exhibition, the foundation officially launched the "Land 🙂 Sea: China and Latin America Youth Nature Observation Program" and signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Ecological Civilization and Biodiversity Conservation Exchange with four Latin American NGOs from Peru, Argentina, and Chile. The signing of the agreements laid the foundation for long-term cooperation, including partner exchanges, project collaboration, and youth dialogue between China and Latin American NGOs.