On April 22, the 52nd earth day, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) held a series of popular science activities under the theme of “cherishing the earth for harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature” in the Yifu Museum. The campaign was attended by Wang Yanxin, academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences and president of CUG; Lai Xulong, vice president of CUG; Wang Huaizhuo, deputy director of the People's Government of Hongshan District; Wang Hua, president of Association for Science and Technology of Hongshan District; Li Haitao, director of Hongshan Urban Administration and Law Enforcement Bureau; and other directors form relevant departments inside and outside the CUG; nearly 600 pupils from the Affiliated Primary School of CUG, Furen Primary School, Affiliated Primary School of HUST, and other schools.
President Wang Yanxin noted that the popularization of science with the theme of“cherishing the earth for harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature” before the centenary of the Communist Party of China is of great significance. Following the Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, the event guided the public to establish a concept of ecological civilization, which is defined by“respecting nature, conforming to nature and protecting nature”. The campaign mobilized the public to actively live up to the principle of “saving resources and protecting the earth”. Adhering to the principle of“seeking the harmonious development of man and nature”, CUG actively develops the natural education and spreads ecological civilization idea. Focusing on two fields -- the safety and health, the university charts the course for the 14th five-year plan by making full use of its superior disciplines including geology, resources, environment. President Wang hopes that more earth guardians will take care of our life community and protect the earth with concrete efforts. We should save water, electricity, paper and other resources, cherish every tree and grass and protect the environment, so as to safeguard our common home.
Deputy director Wang Huaizhuo delivered a speech at the event. He said that the earth is our common home. Only by respecting, accommodating and protecting nature, can human beings thrive and society develop in a sustainable way. The People's Government of Hongshan District has fully implemented the spirit of a series of important speeches on ecological conservation made by president Xi Jinping and always adhered to the green development concept that “clean rivers and lush mountains are invaluable assets” and that we should seek “the harmonious coexistence of humankind and nature”. We must vigorously promote the ecological conservation and protect our blue skies.
Wang Yanxin presented certificates to the winners of the Science Popularization Competition.
Li Shangyang, a student from the Affiliated School of CUG, announced the proposal of “cherishing the earth for harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature”. He called on us to take good care of our homes with a green heart by starting from small things around us such as no littering, saving resources and green travel.
Pressing their palms on the big blue screen, Wang Yanxin, guests and student representatives jointly launched the initiative of “reverencing nature, protecting the earth, green growth and low-carbon life”.
After the ceremony, the “New Voices of the Earth” youth forum was held in the lecture hall of the museum. Six schools including the Affiliated Primary School of CUG, Furen Primary School, Red Scarf International School，Optical Valley 17 Primary School, Huayuan Primary School, Nanwangshan Primary School represented six states respectively. Under the guidance of their teachers, students in each school collected the most serious ecological and environmental problems in the state and then proposed their solutions. After a five-minute speech of each group, students from other groups would ask one or two questions. Finally, judges scored the groups and chose the first, second and third prize.
“Take eight plastic balls of different sizes. Arrange them in order of the eight planets. Wrap the plastic rod around a plastic base, then fix the balls to the plastic base. Now, you have a model of the solar system!” In the science classroom of the museum, children were very happy with the model of the solar system made by themselves.
Through the box for lunar phase observation , children learned about the changes of the moon in a month, summarized the characteristics of its movement, and analyzed the reasons for the phase changes.
“What is the function of birds' feathers in water and in oil?” At Darwin Experimental Station, the “magic feathers” activity taught the children the use of feathers. Children cried“Amazing”!
Colorful science interactive activities inspired children to love science and protect the earth. “I feel the magic of nature through interactive activities. We should cherish the earth and protect our common home.”said a student from the Affiliated Primary School of HUST.
In the hall on the first floor and the square in front of the museum, children carried out various environmental activities including hand-painted 100-meter rolls, dinosaurs made from cartons and garbage sorting, which gave people a strong visual impact.
“Why dose boiled tap water produce white precipitation? How to deal with it?” “Water quality test”held on the second floor of the museum aroused children’s doubts about water. As volunteers gradually uncovered the mystery of the water for the children by testing the quality of water, children became more concerned about the safety of their own drinking water, knowing the importance of valuing water, saving water and protecting water.
During the Earth Day campaign, the Yifu Museum will also carry out science popularization lectures on campus both online and offline to convey the ecological civilization concept that “clean rivers and lush mountains are invaluable assets” and that we should seek “the harmonious coexistence of humankind and nature”.
The event is jointly organized by Department of Natural Resources of Hubei Province, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), and People's Government of Hongshan District, undertaken by the Yifu Museum, Association for Science and Technology of Hongshan District, Hongshan Urban Administration and Law Enforcement Bureau, Science Popularization Center of CUG, Geological Investigation Institute of CUG, Changzhou China Dinosaur Park, Association for Science and Technology Communication of Hubei Province, Vocational and Continuing Education Research Branch of Geological Society of China , national infrastructure of Mineral Rock and Fossil Resources and other units.
(Written by Xu Yan and Ge Wenliang; Photographed by Zhang Yuxian.)
