3rd Franco-Chinese Month of Environment to open in Beijing

Poster for the Franco-Chinese Month of the Environment [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The 3rd Franco-Chinese Month of the Environment will begin on September 27, according to a news conference held on Monday.

Organized by the French embassy in China, this year's month-long project will focus on the theme of biodiversity. A wide range of cultural events, including exhibitions, film screenings, concerts, art workshops, lectures, seminars and forums will be held in 25 Chinese cities.

"This year's event covers more diversified disciplines compared with the last two years and targets wider audiences, enhancing interaction with the general public," said Matthieu Berton, technical coordinator of the Environment, Heritage, and Sustainable Development Department of the French embassy. A variety of topics and subjects will be discussed and explored throughout the month, such as natural resource management, urbanization and lifestyles, environmental protection and technological innovation, promoting public awareness of biodiversity richness and exploring more balanced relations between people and the natural world.

Famed Chinese actress Tao Hong was present as the image ambassador of the event. After stressing the importance of environmental protection and prevention of climate change, she recommended two films that will be screened during the event.

"French films have their distinctive taste and style," Tao said. "They don’t cater to commercial trends and have their own focus." Tao said that the French documentary Oceans (Océans) and its sequel Seasons (Les Saisons) are two must-sees. The latter will be on big screens in China later in September.

The Franco-Chinese Month of the Environment was started in 2014 and is the only multi-disciplinary festival dedicated to the environment organized by an embassy in multiple Chinese cities. It will last until October 27. For more information please visit its website: http://mfce.faguowenhua.com/