U.S./China Environmental Education Exchange (September, 2000)

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Introduction

The Global Environmental Alliance - China (GEA-China), is a partnership between Global Communications for Conservation, and China's Ministry of Science & Technology (MOST). This New York-based non-profit and China's MOST has organized a unique environmental education exchange between America and China.

The two-week exchange began on September 12th with the arrival of a delegation of students, teachers and government officials from China - all involved with environmental education programs and resource management issues.

Check out the daily updates from the trip!

Day 13: Washington D.C. (National Zoo)
Day 12: Washington D.C. (Smithsonian)
Day 11: Washington D.C. (GLOBE, School Visits)
Day 10: Washington D.C. (Capitol, Dept. of Interior, EPA)
Day 8: Yosemite
Day 7: Intro to Camping 101
Day 7: Yosemite
Day 6: Shambala Game Preserve
Day 6: California ScienCenter
Day 5: Universal Studios
Day 5: Shaqtacular
Day 4: Arrive at Universal Studios
Day 4: Baird Middle School and Duncan High School
Day 3: San Joaquin River
Day 3: A Day at School
Day 2: Baird Middle School via the San Luis Reservoir
Day 2: Monterey Bay Aquarium
Day 1: San Francisco, Santa Cruz, and Monterey
Full Itinerary

This program provided five students, ages 13 through 18, with the opportunity to visit the United States and participate in environmental study programs in U.S. schools. The students are the grand prizewinners, chosen from thousands of students who entered a GEA-China Earth Day 2000 environmental awareness contest published in the Beijing Youth Daily newspaper.

Joining the students were three master teachers who are involved with GEA's innovative Environmental Education programs. The visit to America allowed these teachers the further chance to understand how our programs are taught in the US.

Also participating in this groundbreaking exchange were three high-ranking government officials from China's Ministry of Science and Technology, the State Environmental Protection Administration of China and Beijing Municipal Education Commission.

The purpose of the exchange was to enhance relations and understanding between China and the United States. GEA-China arranged for the students and teachers to visit schools on both the East and West Coast. They stayed in the homes of host families and they developed friendships that will grow throughout their lifetime. Meanwhile, the Chinese ministry officials met with U.S government agency leaders to better understand the American methods of resource and civic management.

In the interest of giving the delegation first-hand experience with resource management practices in the United States, visits were arranged to national parks, an aquarium, a game reserve and zoo.

GEA-China and its co-hosts arranged media encounters for the delegation to draw attention to this program that will surely enhance U.S./China relations for years to come.