Friendship trees planted at the 2024 Shennongjia NESS Congress

On May 29, during the 2024 International Congress on an Eco-Security System for All People along the Belt and Road held in Shennongjia, experts on biodiversity conservation and eco-security from 46 countries planted trees hand in hand with directors of Shennongjia National Park and its Science Institute in Guanmenshan, Shennongjia National Park.

After planting trees, all of the foreign participants expressed their wishes to come back in the future with their children and even grandchildren to visit Shennongjia again.

Catherine Numa Valdez from Spain (1st from left), Fernando Iglesias Letelier from Chili (2nd from right), and Academician Viatcheslav Rozhnov from Russia (1st from right)

Fernando Iglesias Letelier from Chili said that, he had planted perhaps hundreds of trees before for the environmental education programs he worked with kids at home. “In Chile there are three things that every human need to have: kids and planting a tree and writing a book.” Planting trees “has a very profound meaning for me because it does not just mean a tree but also means future. And I hope my grand-kids might have the shade of the trees and in the near future, we all can come to China to Shennongjia and have a sitting under the tree.”

Professor Yohanes Purwanto from Indonesia

For most foreign guests, this is their first trip to Shennongjia, and it has been quite impressive. Professor Yohanes Purwanto from Indonesia commented that, “It’s very nice. The national park’s collection of species of plant is excellent.”

Academician Viatcheslav Rozhnov from Russia said that, “I think it's a very good place, not only for people, but this is a very good place for scientists because there is very good diversity of plants and animals and this is a very good museum. I think this park have good perspective.” 

Professor Sher Bahadar Khan (left) and Professor Muhammad Subhan Qureshi (right) from Pakistan

Professor Sher Bahadar Khan from Pakistan had spent four years studying his PhD program in Wuhan but has never been to Shennongjia during that time, which he quite regretted. So he said, “I will write my vlog and say ‘Come to Shennongjia. This is the most beautiful place on the earth.’”

Many other scholars have been more impressed by the hospitality of the workers for the Congress. Catherine Numa Valdez from Spain commented that, “It's beautiful but especially people, people are lovely, so kind.”

Ibrahim Abu-Bakarr from Sierra Leone especially expressed his thanks to the volunteers, saying that, he had missed his plane to Shennongjia, and had really encountered great difficulty in communication in the airport, however after arriving at Shennongjia, his volunteer has been so sweet with very good English that his stay here had met no problem at all.

All of the foreign scholars agree upon the theme and significance of the Congress. Professor Muhammad Subhan Qureshi from Pakistan emphasized the dual need to use natural resources, such as plants and animals, for human benefit - specifically for nutrition and other necessities - while also preserving biodiversity and food security.

Ibrahim Abu-Bakarr from Sierra Leone

Ibrahim Abu-Bakarr commented that, “It was exceptional for me to attend this Congress. Now, when I came here, now I have answers to most of the things I had no answers to and understand the concept better. Here we also had the opportunity to network with so many other countries from around the world and to meet with them with exchange. So even after here, we continue, you know, with a nice initiative.”

Milly Nantongo from Uganda

And the future plan for Milly Nantongo from Uganda is mobilizing and talking about what we need or encourage people to plant the trees and in our communities help those people who use charcoal, teaching them to use other materials.

To Fernando, the trees they planted also mean the future of this Congress. “I think we all take home a lot of knowledge and this experience will be very valuable for future.” (Text by Bai Ning; Image by He Sai)