Source: Xinhua Net
Kunming, 11 Oct (Xinhua) -- Opening a New Future for Man and Nature in Spring City – Five Moments at the Opening Ceremony of the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity
Xinhua News Agency
Xiangrui Spring City, and wind and drizzle. On the afternoon of the 11th, the Kunming Dianchi International Convention and Exhibition Center, shaped like a peacock opening screen, attracted the world's attention. The fifteenth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) kicked off here.
More than 5,000 delegates participated in the meeting through a combination of online and offline methods, how do they talk? What are the unique arrangements for the opening ceremony? Xinhua News Agency reporter recorded these moments on the spot, taking everyone to understand the wonderful scene of COP15 and the insights of the delegates.
【Moment 1】The Chinese side received the gavel and officially became the chairmanship of COP15
Hall 7 on the 3rd floor of the Convention and Exhibition Center, about 1500 people attended the meeting.
The giant screen in front of the venue is subtitled with subtitles such as "2020 United Nations Conference on Biodiversity" and the theme of the conference in Chinese and English, and the Chinese flag and the United Nations flag are displayed on the rostrum.
At 15:25, Egypt's ambassador to China, Mohammed Badri, egypt's ambassador to China, as the representative of Egypt under cop14 presidency, handed over a dark mallet to Huang Runqiu, China's Minister of Ecology and Environment.
This marks China's official assumption of the presidency of COP15.
"Thank you for entrusting China with hosting and chairing this important meeting." Huang Runqiu, as chairman of COP15, said.
【Moment 2】 "Elephant" to Yunnan kicked off
A few months ago, the "Elephant Tour" brought the world's attention to Yunnan. Today, COP15 begins with "Elephants".
On the screen, the short film "Elephant" to Yunnan, dubbed in English and subtitled Chinese, tells the story of a dozen Asian elephants moving north and returning to the south in 17 months. Attendees stared at the screen, some staring intently, some smiling.
"The harmonious picture of human-elephant warms the whole world!" A delegate from the field said.
After the short film, a loud singing voice sounded in the venue.
"Every day when you wake up to the song of the birds, the mountain wind blows green lahu's cottage, the mountains are green, the blue and blue flowers are blooming, the bees fly, the butterflies dance, and the mountains come over..." More than 100 artists of the Yi, Bai, Dai, Jingpo, Wa, etc., sang and danced, praised the colorful Yunnan, and welcomed guests from afar.
"Only when there is forest can there be water, only when there is water can there be fields, only when there is field can there be grain, and only when there is grain can there be people." The ethnic minorities living in Yunnan preach such proverbs, conveying the simple concept of harmonious coexistence between man and nature.
[Moment 3] Foreign representatives: "The efforts of the host" contributed to the Kunming Covenant
Elizabeth Murema, Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, traveled thousands of miles from Montreal, Canada, to Kunming.
"The road to Kunming is challenging and longer than anyone expected." In her speech, Murraymar said that thanks to the tireless efforts of the hosts, the meeting was finally successful.
Due to the impact of the new crown pneumonia epidemic, COP15 has been postponed twice, and finally it is scheduled to be held in two phases in October this year and next year.
Murraymar praised China's actions to protect biodiversity. "China's efforts over the past few decades have been exemplary!" Whether it is pollution prevention, returning farmland to forests or solving poverty problems, China's actions are admirable, she said.
Inge Anderson, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme in Nairobi, Kenya, attended the opening ceremony through a "screen". "We need ambition and action to keep moving forward towards the future of people and the planet," she said. ”
Several foreign guests gave a thumbs up to China's efforts in ecological protection.
"As the international community discusses increasing the proportion of marine and land areas included in the scope of protection to 30 percent, China's approach to delineating ecological protection redlines is worth learning." Lundi, an environmentalist from the Netherlands, told reporters.
【Moment 4】"Harmonious coexistence between man and nature" resonates
Sparkling terraces, farmers working hard, ducks swimming merrily in the water... A video of the Hani Rice Terraces in The Honghe River in Yunnan was played on a large screen, and Shi Xiaoyue, a representative of China's ethnic minorities dressed in ethnic costumes, told the story of the harmonious coexistence of people and nature there.
The ancestors of the Hani ethnic group coexisted in harmony with nature and created the world cultural heritage "Honghe Hani Rice Terrace", which is also a globally important agricultural cultural heritage and a national wetland park.
"These terraces are very beautiful and everyone is willing to go!" Long Di praised that this film shows how excellent farming techniques and cultures have coexisted with nature for thousands of years, which makes more people realize the value of local culture, which is meaningful not only to the Hani people, but also to other ethnic groups.
Representatives from the Amazon spoke of local sustainable forest management programmes, sharing practices such as controlling illegal logging, the representative from the European Union proposed that all biodiversity conservation actions must be carried out simultaneously at the global, regional and local levels, and the representative of Africa, concerned about the serious consequences of soil degradation and habitat loss, called for predictable and operational implementations.
【Moment 5】Dialogue with the "screen", representatives of more than 140 Parties and more than 30 international institutions and organizations participated
The last person to take the stage to speak was Chu Wenwen, a "post-90s" nature conservation worker and a graduate of Beijing Forestry University.
"So many peers from all over the world, and experts who have only seen in textbooks and on TV. Fortunately, I practiced in the beaver nest for a long time before I came..." Chu Wenwen, with her short hair and bird-patterned clothes, shared in witty language how to carry out the public welfare activities for the protection of nature in Xinjiang's Altai Mountains through social media.
In the past four years, more than 1 million young people in China, represented by Chu Wenwen, have worked hard to increase the number of nationally protected animal populations such as the Mengxin beaver by 20%.
Statements were made at the opening by youth representatives, business representatives, women representatives, representatives of civil society organizations, indigenous peoples and local communities from all over the world. Representatives of more than 140 Parties and more than 30 international institutions and organizations participated.
Different groups of people, to convey a common voice: to stop and reverse the trend of biodiversity decline, with greater ambition and effective initiatives, accelerate biodiversity conservation, and build a common home for mankind. (Reporters Xiong Zhengyan, Yu Wenjing, Pan Jie, Zhao Peiran Photo: Yue Yuewei)