WildChina Education has partnered with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).
Top UNSDG Focused Experiential Learning Programs in China for 2022-2023
Why is this excellent news?
Because it means that students participating on our programs can now apply for program completion certificates from UNITAR. This certificate from UNITAR indicates their commitment to sustainable development and is awarded upon completing one of our WildChina Education sustainability programs and writing a reflective essay that includes a commitment to future actions to further the UNSDGs.
We didn’t want to keep this news to ourselves so we’re sharing the programs that are best suited for the students who want to demonstrate their commitment to sustainable development inside China.
Sea Turtle Conservation
Location: Huizhou, Guangdong & Sanya, Hainan
UNSDG Goal:
Not many people know that a selection of China’s beaches are nesting grounds for five of the world’s seven species of sea turtles. However, akin to most sea turtle nesting areas worldwide, the nesting grounds on China’s southern coastline are under threat from an array of pernicious effects.
In this program, we take students to the front line of China’s sea turtle conservation efforts. Once there, they learn firsthand about the situation that the world’s sea turtles find themselves in. We teach them about the turtle lifecycle, current conservation efforts and challenges, and we finish out the program with the pièce de résistance, the opportunity to feed and care for these majestic ocean dwellers
Recommended Program Length: 5 Days
Other Highlights: Sailing Workshop, Sea Kayaking, Surfing, Cycling
Mangrove Protection
Location: Xiamen, Fujian
As sea levels around the world rise, ensuring coastal protection is becoming ever more critical. One of the most sustainable ways to ensure long-term coastline preservation is to create natural buffers in the form of mangrove forests. Unlike many other coastal countries, China has been lauded for its commitment to increasing the number of mangrove habitats along its eastern seaboard.
In our Mangrove Protection Program, students visit one of Mother Nature’s natural sea defenses just outside of Xiamen, Fujian Province. They will learn about mangrove biodiversity, the current challenges of preserving these precious ecosystems, and how we can expect these challenges will change in the future.
Recommended Program Length: 3-5 Days
Other Highlights: Mangrove Kayaking, Hakka Culture, Tulou Visit
Gender Equality
UNSDG5 – Gender Equality
Location: Jiangyong County, Hunan
When people hear about the Hunan Province it is usually, Mao Ze Dong, the Avatar Mountains (Zhang Jia Jie), and spicy food that comes to mind. What is less prominent in peoples’ psyche is Nu Shu, the unique phonetic script system circulated among women in Jiangyong County.
NuShu is the only gender script in the world and has significant research value in many multidisciplinary fields. In this program, students get to explore this cultural phenomenon in the broader context of women’s independence and pursuit of equality. We discuss and delve into the script’s history and the barriers it faces in being passed on to future generations.
Recommended Program Length: 5-7 Days
Other Highlights – Village Restoration Service Project, Local School Visit
Global Citizenship Retreat
UNSDG10 – Reduced Inequalities
Location: Songyang County, Zhejiang
Songyang County has over 1800 years of history. It has been described as the last secret region in the south of the Yangtze River” by the Chinese National Geographic Association. However, despite its cultural richness, like many other areas of the Chinese countryside, the area has suffered from brain drain and the resulting consequences.
In this program, students experience a different side of China as they are introduced to a broader WildChina initiative to revitalize Songyang through sustainable tourism. During their time on the program, students will be tasked with PBL experiential activities that aim to get them thinking of innovative ways to contribute to Songyang’s revitalization.
The issues they encounter will illustrate many critical themes that promote the idea of Global Citizenship, including population & settlement, environmental and cultural preservation, and economic development.
Recommended Program Length: 5-7 Days
Other Highlights – Songyang Handicraft Workshop, Village Restoration, Ming & Qing Dynasty Scavenger Hunt, Tea Culture Immersion
Invasive Species
UNSDG15 – Life on Land
Location: Qingpu, Shanghai
In addition to its massive migrant human population, Shanghai has been and is being transformed by non-native plants and animals. These organisms are called invasive species, and though they are largely unrecognized by us, they are harming the local environment.
In this program, students will leave the hustle and bustle of downtown and head to the city’s more rural areas. Here, they will learn how these invasive species impact local agriculture and local ecosystems. Students will see Shanghai from a new perspective and better understand the intricacies of climate change, environmental protection, and eco-activism.
Recommended Program Length: 1-3 Days
Other Highlights – Backcountry Cooking, Kayaking, Camping
Social Innovation
UNSDG8 – Decent Work and Growth
Location: HongMiao Village, Beijing
Throughout China, migration from villages into the city is commonplace. However, what does this mean for the economy and communities left in these villages?
This program will immerse students in village life as they understand the needs and challenges affecting these communities. Through several meaningful and thought-provoking experiential activities, students will learn through doing as they investigate how and why things happen, forming their own opinions on issues relating to creating a more inclusive society, monotowns, and soil and water pollution.
The experiences will develop your student’s social conscience, promoting a global mindset that fosters empathy towards communities worldwide that face similar issues. Along with this, the program will culminate with students innovating their ideas to raise awareness, solve, or mitigate the root causes of these issues.
Recommended Program Length: 1-4 Days
Other Highlights – Kayaking, Rock Climbing, Lantern Making
