Development Fund
[Harvard China TREK 2024丨Beijing Station] Climb the Great Wall to visit scenic spots and historic sites, discuss green development and create a future pattern
The second day of Harvard’s trip to China focused on China’s sustainable development.
Dialogue·Collision
In the morning, students participated in the theme seminar "Harvard China Trip·Entering the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences" at the Institute of Chinese History.
This conference focused on Chinese-style modernization, technological change and innovation, and sustainable energy development. Secretary-General Zhao Zhimin of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and other academy leaders and experts and scholars in various fields participated in the discussion. The in-depth discussion and dialogue deepened the mutual understanding between Chinese and foreign scholars. After the meeting, Harvard students said that China's scientific and technological innovation and development achievements have occupied a very important position in the world, and China has become an important partner in international cooperation. Cooperation with China in knowledge and technology innovation should be strengthened.
A group photo of experts from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and Harvard students
Harvard classmates spoke in the post-meeting interview
The second seminar on sustainable development focused on green energy and low carbon. The Institute for Global Decarbonization Progress (IGDP) invited six experts and professors in the fields of low carbon, sustainable development, and regional governance to communicate with students from the Harvard China trip on China's green energy and other topics. During the discussion, several experts and scholars had in-depth discussions with the students from the perspectives of policy formulation, business participation, social publicity and consensus awakening, Sino-US energy cooperation, and the impact of geopolitics on sustainable development.
IGDP members share with Harvard students
IGDP members communicated with Harvard classmates
They either explained from their own research fields or shared from their personal work experiences. The topics of dialogue and exchange spanned various aspects such as climate change, energy use, sustainable development, and the role of non-governmental organizations in regional collaborative governance. In the subsequent question-and-answer session, students from the Harvard China trip also expressed their views on the discussion issues based on their own practices.
Afterwards, experts and scholars communicated freely with Harvard students, expressed their opinions in professional fields, exchanged and collided ideas, and enjoyed Beijing's special delicacies together.
Go bravely and see the sights
In addition to special seminars, perceiving Chinese culture is also an important part of Harvard's trip to China.
"You are not a true man unless you have visited the Great Wall." In order to let students better understand the history of China and Beijing, the organizing committee arranged for Harvard students to climb the Badaling Great Wall. On the way to the Badaling Great Wall, the tour guide told the students a series of short stories. Through these stories, a history of the development of the capital was clearly outlined, from Beijing as the second capital in the Yuan Dynasty to Emperor Zhu Di's move to the capital in the Ming Dynasty, and then to Today, Beijing's modernization is developing rapidly. Beijing's development cannot be separated from the accumulation of history and the hard work of generations of people. In addition, the tour guide also introduced the students to the origin of the Great Wall, its function as a fortification, and its important political, economic and military role in ancient China. Among them, the section of Badaling Great Wall we are going to visit today is called "Bada". ” means that all roads lead to all parties.
Members of the Harvard China Tour take a group photo at the Badaling Great Wall
We took the cable car from the foot of the Badaling Great Wall to the mountainside. The steep and slightly cold north wind could not stop the students from climbing the Great Wall. They formed groups of two and a half and supported each other towards the beacon tower. Along the way, they saw different angles and light. We took countless photos with the Great Wall. It can be seen from the smiling faces of the students that they are really impressed and shocked by this Chinese wisdom that still stands across time and space, and they like the majestic building of the Great Wall from the bottom of their hearts.
In addition to the Great Wall, the students also visited the ruins of the Old Summer Palace, watched some of the burned ruins in the Old Summer Palace and the original appearance of the buildings after video restoration. The accompanying leader also introduced the history of the time to the students along the way. On the one hand, the students were deeply moved by what China was going through at that time; on the other hand, they were even more moved by the rapid development of China, which is no longer what it used to be.
Harvard students are watching film and television materials related to the Old Summer Palace
Let the world understand China and let China go global. We are on the way to the 2024 Harvard China Trip!