FOREIGN experts joined Chinese counterparts in sharing their ideas on children’s ecological moral education in Shenzhen on Thursday.
Nearly 100 people from 40 education institutions and NGOs from more than 20 provinces and municipalities in China participated in the country’s first forum on children’s ecological moral education at the Shenzhen Women and Children Development Center.
Greg Traymar, the international director with Sharing Nature Worldwide, shared his insights on the importance of ecological education in children’s growth and development. He demonstrated games for children that were aimed at not only spreading ecological knowledge, but also cultivating children’s love of nature.
Paolo Pistis, an Italian horticulture and agriculture expert, told the forum that creative garden designs satisfy children’s thirst for knowing nature, so campuses and parks should be designed in a way that facilitates their healthy development.
Officials from the China Children Development Center, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, and the Shenzhen Women’s Federation also spoke at the opening ceremony of the forum Thursday. The forum lasts until Sunday.
Wang Weiguo, an official with the Women and Children Work Committee under the State Council, said environmental protection education should start with children and teenagers, the future of society. They should be involved in the creation of an environment-friendly lifestyle.
In her address, Cai Qiaoyu, vice chairwoman of the Shenzhen Women’s Federation, said she hoped the forum would provide new ideas for Shenzhen in establishing a Child-friendly City. There are 1.38 million children living in Shenzhen, making up 12.85 percent of the overall permanent population. Building a Child-friendly City is part of the city government’s 13th Five-Year Plan.
The forum, hosted by the Shenzhen Women and Children Development Center, includes keynote reports, case studies and workshops, where experts and educators share their experiences in ecological moral education.
(Lin Min)
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