Green Long March

Green Long March

Introduction

Launched by Future Generations China and Beijing Forestry University in 2007, the Green Long March (GLM) is a youth movement that aims to build a more sustainable future for China.  Across the country along the Grand Canal Route, Yangtze River Route, Yellow River Route, Northeastern Forests Route, Snowlands and High Plateaus Route, Gold Coast Route, Grasslands Route, Rainforest Exploration Route, Northwestern Deserts Route and National Treasures Route students carry out environmental awareness campaigns, local training activities, and promote eco-friendly capacity building on a national level through the Green Seed Awards program.

The Green Long March aims to promote the sustainable development of Chinese society through its broad network of universities and students.  The March gives students a voice and a platform to demonstrate their environmental philosophy through the media in partnership with corporate sponsors, government, and environmental experts. After four years of joint management between Future Generations China and Beijing Forestry University, the Green Long March has reached a point of critical mass with a network of over 80 Chinese universities and tens of thousands of students. The March is ready to stand alone as an indigenous environmental movement managed entirely by Chinese student and faculty volunteers who will continue to promote the philosophy of a sustainable future for communities and ecosystems.

National and Regional Training National and regional trainings increase student knowledge of key climate change issues and strengthen leadership skills. Teams of students are trained in Beijing and conduct regional training sessions across the country. These sessions provide student volunteers with the skills needed to implement quality projects in their regions.

Green Seed Awards In 2009, the Green Seed Awards program was initiated as a supplement to the Green Long March to give young leaders the resources to initiate environmental programs of their own design in their own communities. The project seeks viable solutions for sustainable development using Seed-Scale methodology. The planning and implementation of these projects provides students with valuable leadership training and problem solving experience.

Green Seed Awards will cover the following:

  • Educational Awareness
  • Green EntrepreneurResearch
  • Environmental Best Practice Promotion
  • Cultural Innovation

Green Long March Summer Activities Every summer university student volunteers from more than 30 provinces across China organize and participate in a series of green awareness events.  Activities take place on university campuses, public squares and in surrounding communities.

Since 2007, the GLM has achieved the following: 

  • Organized a nationwide network that has expanded to include tens of thousands of students and over 80 Chinese universities that have participated in GLM programs
  • Gained support from the Chinese government and key environmental leaders through collaboration with the Communist Youth League and the State Forestry Administration
  • Organized nationwide activities reconizing Earth Day, World Environment Day and events in Beijing during the 2008 Olympic Games.
  • Raised environmental awareness across China by inspiring broad youth participation and by close collaboration with regional, national and international media
  • Led community environmental action through GLM case studies and reports