On 6 November, 2021, RCE Hangzhou, Zhejiang Qiantang River Administration Office, Hangzhou Association for Science & Technology, Waterkeeper Alliance and Green Zhejiang hosted the 2021 'Water Education for the World's Future' International Seminar together in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. Attendees included experts in water environment education, teachers, students and educational institutions from China, United States, Germany, Bangladesh, the Bahamas and Indonesia who attended the seminar in-person or online.

The Director of the Science Popularization Department of Zhejiang Association for Science and Technology, Guangnian Wang, shared and discussed about the topic of water education in science education bases with the representatives from the National Water Museum of China, China Wetland Museum and Marine Biology Museum of Zhejiang Ocean University. Mr. Wang introduced the upcoming plan to establish a province-wide science education base alliance during the sharing session.

Naili Hu, the member of the Party Committee of the Zhejiang Qiantang River Basin Center, said that the Qiantang River Basin Center allows more of the public to participate in water environmental protection projects and publicity activities to effectively improve the water environment, and to put effort into creating a harmonious Qiantang River water culture between humans and water, whilst promoting the high-quality development of various aspects of Qiantang river basin such as economy, society and ecology. The party committee member and also the Vice President of the Hangzhou Association for Science and Technology, Mi Zhou, believed that water education should include the content of cultivating young people’s hometown feelings, cultural self-confidence and scientific spirit, and that young people should actively participate in making contributions to the Mother River.

Junlin Zhang, Vice Director of RCE Hangzhou and the Principal of Hangzhou Xuejun Primary School delivered a speech on the River Angels program. The curriculum series 'The Greatness of River Angels' was launched during this seminar. The curriculum is jointly developed by schools and organisations that have actively participated in the River Angels Program in the past three years, and the book of this curriculum will be shared to the 103 schools who participated in this program and the public. In this event, there were more than 30 schools that participated in the 2021 'One Qiantang River' river wall painting activity to be commended, and there are seven river angels who introduced the history and culture of famous spots along the Qiantang River in the route of the 'One Qiantang River' research tour. With this opportunity, Naili Hu awarded the flag to the research team of River Angels Program and announced the launch of the 2021 'One Qiantang River' project.

The domestic and foreign experts from Zhejiang Qiantang River Administration Office, the Finless Porpoise Conservation Fund of Zhejiang University Education Foundation, the Zhejiang University of Water Resources and Electric Power and countries such as Germany, the Bahamas, Bangladesh and Indonesia delivered the keynote speech of water education with various topics such as the conservation of Qiantang River Basin, marine wildlife animals introduction, the river pollution and ocean conservation. At the end, the Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the School of Life and Environmental Sciences of Hangzhou Normal University, Qian Wang and former Dean of the School of Education of Zhejiang International Studies University shared their views and gave some comments on the speech after listening to the presentation by the experts.

(Photos (from top) - Junlin Zhang, Vice Director of RCE Hangzhou and the principle of Hangzhou Xuejun Primary School delivered a speech on River Angels program; Naili Hu, the member of the Party Committee of the Qiantang River Basin Center awarded the flag to the research team of River Angels Program; The Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Zhejiang Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower, Bin Chen, issues certificates to school representative who participated in the 2021 “One Qiantang River” river wall painting. Photo credits: RCE Hangzhou)