The Opening Ceremony of the Exhibition “The Beauty of Life on Earth” Held in Beijing

30 08, 2021

Biodiversity is of vital importance for maintaining the ecological balance of nature, and it is fundamental to human survival and development. To promote the concept of green sustainable development, ANSO led the organization of an exhibition – The Beauty of Life on Earth. The launching ceremony was held on 30 August 2021. Other organizers of the exhibition include UNESCO’s Beijing Office, the Chinese National Committee for UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme (UNESCO MAB China), the Endangered Species Scientific Commission of the People’s Republic of China (China CITES SA), the International Society of Zoological Sciences (ISZS), and the Institute of Botany of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IBCAS). This exhibition is also designed as a supporting program to the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 15) to be held in Kunming, China in October 2021.

Leaders and representatives from the organizing institutions attended the launching ceremony and offered remarks. Attending the ceremony were also ambassadors and representatives from the embassies of Brazil, Indonesia, Pakistan, Spain, and Uruguay, each of which has exhibition panels displayed at the exhibition.

Prof. CAO Jinghua, the Executive Director of ANSO Secretariat, kicked off the opening ceremony by delivering his sincere thanks to all the organizers and contributors. Representatives of the organizers, and of embassies in China, from Brazil, Indonesia, Pakistan, Spain, and Uruguay, gave the opening addresses and kind wishes to the event.

Prof. BAI Chunli, President of ANSO, stressed that ANSO, as an international science organization, shoulders the duty of advancing the UN SDGs and is pleased to jointly organize the event with others for the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the UNESCO MAB Programme and for contributing to COP 15 that is to take place in China later in the year. He further stressed that ANSO is committed to contributing to green sustainable development through exercising various concrete scientific actions.

Prof. ZHANG Yaping, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and President of the UNESCO MAB-China, emphasized that CAS has always been devoted to the biodiversity protection and sustainable development. Together with relevant authorities of the government, CAS hosts both UNESCO MAB China and China CITES SA, both of which play a positive role in the biosphere conservation. He wishes the visitors enjoy the exhibition.

Prof. Shahbaz Khan, Director of UNESCO’s Beijing Office, expressed that on the 50th anniversary of Man and the Biosphere Programme, UNESCO calls for a new relation with nature, which requires the participation of the individuals. UNESCO would like to pay a tribute to those who have shaped the programme into this quest for a more harmonious living in each of the world’s ecosystems through this event.

Ambassadors and representatives who attended the ceremony highly praised the exhibition, and all stressed the importance of biodiversity protection and eco-environment conservancy for achieving UN SDGs, and the role of the individuals and institutions in protecting biodiversity and our eco-environment.

The exhibition is being shown in Beijing Botanical Garden where the Institute of Botany, CAS is located and it is scheduled to last from 30 August to 19 September. The stories and contributions of selected scientists, experts and indigenous people in the protected areas in biodiversity research, and conservation, are illustrated at the exhibition in the format of pictures, videos, descriptions and reports.

The opening ceremony was held both online and on site, generating positive feedback and broad recognition. The Computer Network Information Center and the Institute of Zoology, CAS have also contributed to the launching of the exhibition.

[video:ANSO Exhibition]