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Developing multi-level international-Chinese exchange and
cooperation in ESD
The sixth and final creative characteristic of ESD in China
is that China attaches great importance to the localizing and
implementing of international ESD conception and experience
exchange in this regard between China and foreign countries.
China also pays great attention to the promotion of ESD in its
educational and teaching reforms in schools and joint coopera-
tion between schools and social organizations in promoting ESD
in China.
China started carrying out ESD projects more than 10 years ago
with the aim of accomplishing steady localization of international
ESD concepts in the country as soon as possible. Inter-regional
and inter-school experience exchange activities were conducted at
appropriate times. In the past decade, the ESD project group has
hosted nine national workshops in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou
and Hong Kong. It also launched four ESD international forums
in Beijing in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009 under the themes of
‘Toward the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development’,
‘Education Promotes Sustainable Development: Global Common
Understanding and Local Practice’, ‘Creative Practice of Education
for Sustainable Development’ and ‘ESD: International Development
Trend and China’s Practical Mode’. These four international forums
have effectively promoted the interaction and coher-
ence of China’s ESD with international experience and
raised China’s ESD impact in the world.
In addition, China has also made greater efforts
towards carrying out educational and teaching reforms
and deepening cooperation between schools and
social organizations, in support of China’s important
policy of pushing forward all-round ESD. Approved
by the UNESCO China National Committee in 2002,
the National ESD Working Committee has so far
invited leading officials in the sectors of environ-
mental protection, economy, science, culture and
public health to take part in the committee’s work.
These senior officials either took responsibility for
important work or gave special reports at the national
workshops and international forums. Representatives
of a number of higher education institutions, enter-
prises, non-governmental organizations and rare and
precious animal and plant reserve zones are invited
to be permanent members or council members of the
Beijing ESD Association, the first civilian ESD social
organization in China to be approved by the Beijing
Municipal Bureau of Civil Affairs in 2004.
The Second International Forum of Education for Sustainable Development
Image: Nat. Comm. UNESCO China