Guests pose for a group photo at the "Land-Sea Promise: China-Africa Ecological Civilization Exchange."
Chongqing - On the afternoon of March 26 local time, the "Land-Sea Promise: China-Africa Ecological Civilization Exchange" was grandly held at the Confucius Institute at the University of Nairobi, Kenya.
The event aimed to deepen China-Africa cooperation in ecological and environmental protection, strengthen youth exchanges, jointly advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and contribute Chinese wisdom and Chongqing's strength to creating a green, beautiful, and harmonious world.
Hu Henghua, Mayor of the Chongqing Municipal People's Government, delivers a speech.
In attendance were Hu Henghua, Mayor of the Chongqing Municipal People's Government, Guo Haiyan, Chinese Ambassador to Kenya and Permanent Representative to UNEP and UN-Habitat, Moses Ndirangu Badilisha, Governor of Nyandarua County, and James Njoroge Muchiri, Deputy Governor of Nairobi County, Kenya. Over a hundred representatives from Chinese and African government agencies, academic institutions, non-profit organizations (NPOs), and enterprises gathered for the occasion.
Students from the Confucius Institute at the University of Nairobi perform a blend of Chinese Lion Dance and African drumming.
The event commenced with a creative performance by students from the Confucius Institute at the University of Nairobi, blending the Chinese Lion Dance with African drumming—a symbolic start to a profound dialogue between Chinese and African civilizations. The "Eagle City" thematic exhibition showcased Chongqing's unique parallel ridge-valley topography, diverse species habitats, and the annual ecological marvel of hundreds of thousands of raptors migrating through the region. It highlighted the practices of Chongqing in exploring a path toward "harmonious coexistence among cities, ecosystems, and people."
Guo Haiyan, Chinese Ambassador to Kenya and Permanent Representative to UNEP and UN-Habitat, delivers a speech.
During the launch ceremony, Hu Henghua, Guo Haiyan, and Johnson Sakaja jointly inaugurated the "Land-Sea Promise: China-Africa Ecological Civilization Exchange—Youth Nature Observation Program". This initiative will establish long-term dialogue mechanisms between Chinese and African youth through mutual visits, online exchanges, and other activities.
A staff member explains the "Eagle City" thematic exhibition.
In recent years, China has been committed to advancing the construction of an ecological civilization, emerging as a key participant, contributor, and leader in global ecological conservation. Coping with changes unseen in a century, China has actively promoted global climate governance and biodiversity protection, playing a pivotal role in steering international ecological governance.
African youth view the "Eagle City" thematic exhibition.
According to Xiang Ting, Deputy Director-General of Chongqing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau, Chongqing has achieved sustained improvements in environmental quality through integrated efforts to build a "Beautiful Chongqing" and implement its "Nine Governance" (targeting water, air, soil, waste, plastics, mountains, riverbanks, urban areas, and rural areas). These initiatives have enhanced the diversity, stability, and resilience of ecosystems while driving green, low-carbon development. The water quality of the Yangtze River’s Chongqing section has maintained an "excellent" rating for eight consecutive years, and annual days with good air quality have exceeded 325 for five straight years. By 2025, Chongqing aims to accelerate the building of Beautiful China Pilot Zones across seven key areas.
The "Land-Sea Promise: China-Africa Ecological Civilization Exchange" is in progress.
The event was guided by the Information Office of the People's Government of Chongqing Municipality, Chongqing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau, Foreign Affairs Office of the People's Government of Chongqing Municipality, and hosted by Chongqing Luhai International Communication Foundation
The event invited 16 NPOs from African countries, including Kenya, Cameroon, and Tunisia. Among them, Mara Conservation Fund of Kenya, Ajemalebu Self Help (AJESH) of Cameroon, Notre Grand Bleu of Tunisia, and another NPO have long collaborated with Chongqing Luhai International Communication Foundation on international environmental protection initiatives. During the event, they signed a "Memorandum of Cooperation on Ecosystem and Biodiversity Conservation."
The "Land-Sea Promise: China-Africa Ecological Civilization Exchange" is in progress.
To implement Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization and advance the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, Chen Can, Deputy Secretary-General of Chongqing Luhai International Communication Foundation, stated that the foundation will not only deepen actions with African organizations on ecosystem and biodiversity conservation but also strengthen youth exchanges between China and Africa. This effort aims to unite broader forces in realizing the shared vision of "harmonious coexistence between man and nature."