July 2014

GIESD working group led by Director Yajie Song participated in  Eco Forum Guiyang (herein after EFG’2014) throughout its entire session from June 9 to 13, 2014 invited by the  Mr. Xinsheng ZHANG,  EFG’14 Secretary-general. This working group included Dr. Yajie SONG, the Director of GIESD at Yale the research partner of GIESD; Dr. Guohong WANG,  Vice-president of Guangxi Northern Bay University(in preparation);  Mr.Youxing WANG ,  Director of Guangxi Qinzhou Bureau of Education ; Professor Jian LI , PhD student advisor of Tianjin University and Ms. Chuangxia Deng (Tianjin University of Technology), Ms. Shiran Zheng (Beijing Language and Culture University), Student research assistant of GIESD of Yale. and Shiran ZENG, while the students of Education Ecology Practice with Guiyang First Middle School Group which was formed after Dr.Song’s first research practice during this May also joined some of the events with the invitation of Dr.Song, they were Ms. Yitong ZHOU(Senior T wo), Ms. Qiuya LI(Senior T wo) and Mr. Junyu LI(grade one). The President of Housing construction department Weihua MING,Research-fellow Qi ZHAO /Yan YIN/Xukui CAO, and the Vice-chief of Guizhou University Construction and Planning School Professor Yafang YU had provided instruction and help with us throughout this forum. We like to appreciate all the help to facilitate the communication and interaction. The following summary about EFG’14 is divided into four parts:

1.  With Innovation

We can notice that the theme of EFG’14 emphasis the concept of civilization and the international influence impacted by this forum. Standing from the significant ecological province-capital Guizhou, EFG’14 was great concerned to the international position and difference between value and  expression: On the translation between Chinese and English, the forum came up with the arrangement (government/enterprises/public) and carrier(System paradigm), methods and ways (Route selection) very clearly, using interdisciplinary ecosystematical concepts and methods properly, and achieving the  progressively  undertaking to steady process.

  EFG’14 used easily-understanding words and valid communication on the aspect of Chinese international interaction and core-benefits concerns, making significant attribution to yields the results. Known to all, the word “Ecology Civilization” firstly came up from China, which was fully and creatively considered, but it need further definition and explanation when face with international expression of concepts of ecology. During the conference, “Ecology Civilization” was shown in the core-concept and make a change from the interdisciplinary prospect: Using “ECO” with the concept of “Civilization”. And, the second following idea shown in Chinese meaning cooperate with overseas partners was translated as “Joining Hands”. Using “Leveraging-Reforms” rather than “Reform-Driven” to express the reform actuation. All of the translations above were different from direct and outdated language transferring,  thus foreign researchers can understand more easily and logically. It’s much more scientifically to organize and shown from the third level.

Considering cooperation with governments, enterprises and public is the key from international sight, EFG’14 determined the contents and ways of cooperation. With the ECO systemic guarantee and method choosing was first prominent in this forum, realized achieving from ideas to general expression and from sayings to practice research. We noticed that EFG’14 unified the ecological extensive , including ideas and practice as ECO, while using abbreviation EFG rather than the long sentence Eco Forum Global Annual Conference Guiyang, provided the conference itself with a future international status-improvement.(e.g. BFA and CICA). All the efforts make EFG spanning from traditional custom to international thinking mode. EFG is the key mark to mature phase development since conference formed in 2009.

2.Realistic content

2.1 ECO in the daily life——Theory localization and practice

During this conference, Dr. SONG attended the CCTV programe ECO in the Daily Life under the arrangement of organizer ,also had a creative and realistic interaction with other guest Mr. Baoxing Qiu, President Ma of Beijing Mining University as well as Mayor Liu of Guiyang. In the converstation, Dr. SONG stated three quotas to carry appraisal to ECO ideas and carry out: Eenjoying the ecological resources with  Health (both physical and mental),Utilizing the ecological resources with Effeciency (low-carbon,high-investment return rate/properly using- land) ; P rotecting ecological resources for Sustainability. Dr. SONG especially emphasis the interdisciplinary, temporality and spatiality and opportunity-control(chasing or giving up). He also took Guiyang Zhucheng Square as an example, analyzing it with over ten factors and variables of ecological-relevant quotas to analysis to help the public know more about this case. Later, Dr. SONG designed a fast ecological appraisal named ECO in daily life- Talking from Zhucheng Square. Throughout the interaction between GIESD at Yale and Guiyang first Middle School and Guizhou University, we all were inspired by ECO in the daily life and contribute important thinking method to Ecosystem in Guiyang.

2.2 Green Urbanization——System paradigm and method-choosing are important guarantees for develop ECO

During the interaction with EFG’14, Dr. SONG, comparing the 10-year development of Yale-Tsinghua University “Environment and sustainable leadership training——ESDLP project”, he stated the correct ECO idea and scientific systems are the important guarantees to ECO research. According to the above, he highly praise EFG’14 targeted at “Leveraging-Reforms, Joining Hands, realizing ECO new-age”. Also, standing at this point, the conference explained when we build the cooperation relationship between China and the United States, carrying out the efforts from public will become the important content of “Joining hands” and ECO. Dr. SONG holds the idea that both the 12-year of GIESD， which stands at Yale University and go for environmental and sustainable development, and EFG which stands at”Cool Guiyang”, making efforts to develop international ecosystem and ECO new-age, are important creativity and constant development model. The contrast and interaction between them could offer a new stage and an important opportunity to EFG’s development.

2.3 Chinese Culture and ECO—The interdisciplinary and symbiosis of ECO

The first official event for GIESD at Yale to attend was as a guest to give a lecture in the “Chinese culture and ECO Forum”. Dr. SONG was appraised to be”totally creative, different, fact-based thinking method” by the host. Also, Dr. SONG mentioned the Chinese translation of GIESD at Yale was “JISHIDE”(Pinyin), which was inspired by Chinese traditional philosophy. He stressed both the advancement and dominant of Chinese culture, and the diversity of global culture. Meanwhile, he introduced the comparative methods using at Yale envioned with ecosystem ecology perspectives. He also addressed  the research methods when comparing Chinese culture, Indian culture and Western culture during the Interdisciplinary Urban Ecological Innovation Project (IUEI) carried by GIESD at Yale and Qinzhou, which was the sign of tolerance and resection.  

3. Thinking under perspective

On the efforts to ECO reform and create new system, the news media carries important mission and responsibilities. Through the hands joining and cooperation between government, enterprises and public, EFG achieved a lot but still have to improve someway.  As GIESD at Yale identified as an overseas partner, we want to express some suggestions to encourage mutual improvement.

As the CCTV interview dated back to July 11th for example, it was organized very well to invited government, schools, enterprises ,experts and the public, but the theme designing, program formulation need enhancement; Before the recording, guests and the host should have the chance to communicate to know more about the program; The host also should computer the strain and respect more, especially when came to talking the topic of ”the significance of Zhucheng Square”, the host should give more time and respect to guest. According to the fast ecological research carried out by GIESD at Yale, we preliminary noticed Zhucheng Square is not only a official decision and practice, but also the attempt to encourage the public increase knowledge of Leveraging-Reforms. From the understanding point, this case is both meaningful to Guiyang and other cities. For instance, Zhucheng Square can be compared with Chicago ’s Sears Square, New York Central Park and New Haven Greens, and the public need different nations commons and scientific contrasts to know more about Zhucheng Square.

Treats people with respect and academic equality, to set an example being a teacher, all the qualities above are the important content to inherit Chinese tradition and ecology. As concern as EFG’14, “Chinese Culture and ECO Forum” should pay more attention to international regulations and politeness advocation than any other forums, but it turned out to need more improvement. According to our years experience at Yale University and an organization overseas, we noticed many important guests even including national leaders and local officials left early in front of hundreds audience during this forum, which was meaningful to process Guiyang Confucius School.  And at the end of this “Chinese Culture and ECO Forum”, guests seats were empty except lecture guests seats and host seat, we can see some childish Chinese basic education was needed to carry out from the beginning, like”no late, no leaving early and asking questions”. “No late”does not only means don’t be late for conference, but also watch your time in the lecture and never make others speak late because of your late.”No leaving early” means a guest have to concern about all the arrangements and behave to be polite. Thus, treating people with respect and and practice Way of Confucius and Mencius should be valued first in Guiyang Confucius School which is becoming world-famous nowadays.

After the EFG’s success, some related professors and students were very attracted to the National Vice President Yuanchao LI’s lecture and his modest and polite qualities, which was considered to creative sample in significant world wide events. Also, we noticed a female professor named Dan YU who was famous for her Confucius and Chinese traditional culture research, left earlier before the Vice President’s lecture because according to her Chinese conference attending experience, which leaded to making other person to sit her seat to make up the empty. As contrast, we can learned a lot from EFG’14.

4.Actuation cooperations

As one of the achievements of our local research during this May 18th-21st, we mentioned that we may process some cooperations between GIESDe and Guiyang or Guizhou related sides in the Research Memorial. We made efforts to actuation our cooperations throughout EFG conference, as soon as our arrival, we had an interaction with students in Guiyang First Middle School on July 9th. And we decided the cooperation method and preliminary arrangement with Guizhou University at the night before our leaving.

Come back to our first mentioned cooperation research in view of “Interdisciplinary ecological innovation, colorful cities paragenesis”, we determined the “Green Urbanization”to be our research direction. We felt the boldness of Guizhou towards ecology especially the public understanding towards “ECO in daily life”when we communicated with Guiyang First Middle School and Guizhou University. We did some researches about the ecological progress Guiyang made these years, Zhucheng Square for instance. We suggest do scientific research and comparative analysis from living sights to help the public increase the sustainable developing ecology. We believe all the actions can improve the ECO of Guiyang, China even the whole world.

As the second cooperation idea we mentioned as”Constructs the green Land-sea-hannel from Qin to Zhu” is meaningful to the development of Guizhou, Southern district and the Nothern Bay district. Based on the positive interaction between the two local governments, and the”Interdisciplinary Urban Ecological Innovation”IUEI project we mentioned in the earlier page, especially the processed communication with other experts and researches from Guiyang, realizing Chinese Dream the strategies to develop the Southern District and friendly-relationship with East-Asian countries Zhongshan Sun came up hundred-year ago in his General Plan for National Reconstruction.

Joining hands with GIESD, Guiyang Confucius School can not only impetus its cultural research like Chinese Culture ECO, but also the sustainability acceptance among more experts and the public.

This EFG will encourage the sustainable development of leveraging-reforms, joining hands and method-choosing, and GIESD is honored to cooperate with Guiyang to achieve bigger goals. This summary only offers a few ordinary introductory remarks so that others may offer valuable ideas. If you have suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact with us.

PS. At the end of this conference, the working group members are very appreciate to had the opportunity to visit Huangguoshu Falls under the arrangement of hospitable officials including Party committee Secretary of Guizhou Housing Construction Department Weihua MING, fellow Qi ZHAO and Yan YIN. When we saw the rainbow above the great fall, it remind us of American Northeast Niagara Falls and this successful conference which make world wide ecological learners together.

GIESD at Yale working group members: the Director of Guangxi Qinzhou Bureau of Education Mr.Youxing WANG/the Doctor Students Advisor Professor Jian LI/the student research assistant of GIESD of Yale Chunxia DENG(Tianjin University of Technology) and Shiran ZENG(Beijing Language and Culture University)/Guiyang First Middle School students Yitong ZHOU(grade two), Qiuya LI(grade two), Junyu LI(grade one). And Dr. Yajie SONG(graduated from Yale University, the founder of GIESD). We like to express our appreciation towards EFG’14 and the related officials again, and we are looking forward to make another success in the future! Thank you all!

Yajie SONG and the GIESD working group

Tranlated by Ariel Shiran Zheng,

Student Assistant at GIESD

Draft in Guiyang, China

Complete in Yale University, the United States

July 26th, 2014