08.08.2018

Cambridge, UK

This year, FLE introduces one charity, “Qingxing Project” to focus on environmental protection initiatives. On 2nd August 2018, 48 Chinese students took part in the first “Qingxing Project” Activity, held at the Bradfield Centre, Science Park, Cambridge. Boys and girls performed drama on environmental protection topic and had a great time.

The name of “Qingxing” quotes from the poem “Saying Goodbye to Cambridge Again”, written by famous Chinese poet Xu Zhimo. The most well-known verses are “The floating heart growing the sludge/Sways leisurely under the water;/In the gentle waves of Cambridge/I would be a water plant!”. “Qingxing” refers to the “floating heart” mentioned in the above verses. The poem suggests human activities should not affect the environment, but if any damage happens, we need to try our best to minimize the harm. “Qingxing Project” provides a platform for students to share their ideas about environmental protection and encourages students to take initiatives. 

The most interesting part was the group performance. Students were separated into 9 groups and each group gave an 8-min performance in English. Be it only the fourth day they arrived in the UK, the students observed carefully, took notes whenever they could in various forms, like photos, videos and posts, and more they already formed ideas on how to initiative environmental protection. 

They compared the current situation between China and UK, pointed out the problem and gave feasible solutions. They come up with various ways to express their ideas. For example, one group simulated a TV program environment and the group members performed as TV presenter, a journalist, a citizen and a government spokesman. The problem of water pollution in the Pearl River of Guangzhou was fully expressed by different angles. Another group performed a drama to discuss the relationship between human beings and the environment for thousands of years. With a narrator playing slide show of simple stroke style, boys and girls performed a wonderful mime. This group won the highest score and all auditors congratulated them like Oscar winner! It is worth mentioning that one group notices a new problem of signboard waste, which rarely caught attention before.

Through this charity event, the students realized educational activity could facilitate student’s understanding on the importance of environmental protection. They are willing to make the most of this meaningful experience in the UK and share it with more others when they are back in China. As they said ‘apply the knowledge to practice can be conducive to the sustainable development of environmental protection’. 

Headquartered in Cambridge, First Landing Education (FLE) provides international exchange project service including short-term non-academic program, university study abroad project, teacher training principal visits, etc. As an education company, FLE has a tradition of organizing public welfare activities. One of the staff said, “This kind of public welfare activity is the first time FLE has engaged with in Cambridge, yet a supreme meaningful one. FLE intends to carry on its corporate social responsibility, as well as promotes the British charity culture through this platform. FLE will continue in the future to introduce more and more charitable activities, and we are working hard on it.”