Millions of young people involved in MRPP

March 9 was the seventh MRPP (Mother River Protection Project) Day in China. A number of environment-friendly handkerchiefs themed on water conservation were distributed among the NPC deputies and CPPCC members. Under the theme of treasuring water to build an eco-civilization, a million youths held wide-ranging water conservation, green planting and protection, water quality protection and other eco-protection activities.

　　In Hunan, the green EP volunteers in Changsha, Zhuzhou, Xiangtan and three other cities in the valley of Xingjiang River developed program of restoring and protecting green plants after the snow disaster. The 100-member eco-observation group composed of experts from forestry, agriculture, water conservancy and EP started on March 5 a field study tour of the vegetation cover damaged and contaminated by the snow disaster in the Xiangjiang river valley.

　　Shanghai green volunteers started a program of cherishing, cleaning and protecting water. Bicycling fans were involved in biking along the mother river Yangtze, publicizing the importance of mother river protection en route. The newly established Nanhui district youth service team in protection of Water Drop Lake fostered fish fries by the lake. Youth Leaguers in Minhang district persevered in voluntary service of salvaging water rubbish all the year round in Wujing Park.

　　In Chongqing, over 1000 social volunteers, over 500 students from the municipality, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, as well as students from foreign countries, working personnel of consulates in Chongqing, foreign friends, and international volunteers held a MRPP Day under the theme of treasuring water for life’s sake, greening the western silicon valley to build a forest city in the western Yongwei electronics industrial park zone. The China Chongqing youth green home for international exchange went into operation formally. Young participants wielded shovels and dug earth and planted over 3000 trees.

　　The program of Touring Weihe River for Health Sake – Follow me in planting 2008 springtime Olympic trees was spread out in the whole river valley. Youths are building a green corridor in central Shaanxi along the banks of Weihe River. In the main theater of the event, a volunteer tree-planting contingent composed of Youth Leaguers and volunteers from all circles went in for planting 2008 tree saplings to build the 2008 springtime Olympic forest center.

　At the launching ceremony of love for three river sources and protection of mother rivers in Qinghai, Qinghai youth action program was proclaimed to that effect. Young calligraphers and painting artists, college student and teenage painting class trainees painted on the spot on a 100-meter long canvass and EP photographers displayed EP photo exhibits, appealing to all social circles to get to know, care for and protect the sources of the Yangtze, Yellow and Huaihe rivers.

　　Fangcheng Port and Qinzhou and other Beibu Gulf cities in Guangxi launched an eco- Beibu Gulf youth action program. Young cadres, university volunteers and young railway workers engaged in EP practice such as publicizing EP knowledge, distributing MRPP leaflets and cleaning up the environment in the lakeside square, railway station, schools and supermarkets.  young

　The program of restoring forest ecology and building green hometowns was launched in Heilongjiang province and the 7th MRPP publicity Day was marked to mobilize Youth Leaguers across the province to participate in reconstruction after disaster by planting quick growing trees. 

　　As of MRPP Day March 9, Beijing reportedly started a Green Olympics and Civilized Beijing eco practice program, Anhui launched an eco-youth month, Fujian unleashed the 3rd phase MRPP and hometown cleaning up youth action week, Hubei organized a million-strong youth green volunteer contingent, Hainan sponsored a forum on green youth sea boundary, Guizhou implemented a special MRPP move to wipe out risleya atropurpurea, and Ningxia would develop a program of eradicating bad habits and practicing economy everyday in building a new countryside.

MRPP is a large social benefit event sponsored by ACYF and other social organizations. It aims to develop eco civilization, educate the youths, and inspire the whole society in a bid to contribute to protecting the mother-rivers (generally referring to the Yellow River and later to the Yangtze and the Huaihe rivers), the mother of Chinese civilization, which is part of the world’s human civilization. The MRPP Day this year took up the theme of treasuring the water lifeline and working together to build an eco civilization.