英國首相于京郊小學啟動氣候變化世博遺產項目

UK Prime Minister David Cameron visited Machikou primary school in suburban Beijing on Nov.10. [sina.com]

英國首相大衛?卡梅倫于11月10日訪問了北京昌平郊區的馬池口中心小學以表示他對氣候變化教育的支持，同時啟動了英國大使館文化教育處的世博遺產項目。

校長靳德宏和英國大使館文化教育處氣候變化項目總監梁麗博士在學校門前迎接首相并陪同他前往教室觀摩了一次旨在提高10至12歲學生氣候變化意識的活動。帶領學生開展本次活動的是英國大使館文化教育處評選的三位青少年氣候大使。隨后，首相卡梅倫與學生及氣候大使一起參與到旨在提高能效的“物品生命周期”游戲中。

游戲結束時，首相在對學生的講話中強調了應對氣候變化影響以及保護物種多樣性的重要意義。他還對英國文化協會（在中國大陸地區作為英國大使館及總領事館文化教育處開展工作）致以敬意。陪同首相一起訪問這所小學的成員還有英國文化協會主席文龍先生及中國區主任白瓊娜女士。首相對英國大使館文化教育處安排此次活動表示感謝，并為英國的機構能夠在中國組織這樣的活動感到驕傲。

首相講話結束后即啟動了英國大使館文化教育處氣候變化世博遺產項目。他將從上海世博會英國館帶來的一根“種子觸須”贈送給兩名學生代表。在本屆上海世博會中，英國館獲得了“展館設計金獎”。該館由六萬余根“觸須”組成，每根觸須里均嵌有一枚獨特的植物種子；中國媒體因其獨特的造型設計而親切地稱之為“蒲公英”。英國大使館文化教育處開展的氣候變化世博遺產項目將向中國的學校贈送一千根“種子觸須”以及教學材料，以幫助教師在課程中講授生物多樣性等相關主題。

獲贈“種子觸須”的兩名學生將自己以環保為主題創作的一幅繪畫和兩幅書法作品回贈給首相。訪問結束前，首相還欣賞了學校民樂隊演奏的傳統樂曲《丹桂飄香》。

UK PM launches Shanghai Expo Legacy Programme in Beijing

UK Prime Minister David Cameron visited the Machikou primary school in suburban Beijing on Nov. 10 to underscore his support for education on climate change and launch the British Council's Expo Legacy Programme.

The Prime Minister was greeted at the school by Mr. Jin Dehong, the school's headmaster, and Dr. Rebecca Nadin, Director of the Global Climate and Sustanability Programme at the Cultural and Education Section of the British Embassy. He was led to a classroom where he observed a climate change awareness raising activity for students aged 10-12 led by three British Council "Climate Champions." Prime Minister Cameron then participated with the pupils and Climate Champions in a "Product Lifecycle Game" designed to promote energy efficiency.

At the game's conclusion, the Prime Minister delivered remarks that underscored the importance of tackling the effects of climate change and preserving the world's biodiversity. He also saluted the work of the British Council, whose Chair, Vernon Ellis, and China Regional Director, Joanna Burke, were in the classroom. The Prime Minster thanked the British Council for organizing the event and expressed his pride that a UK organization was undertaking such activities in China.

The Prime Minster then launched the British Council's UK-China Shanghai Expo Legacy Programme by presenting two students with a seed rod from the UK Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo. The UK Pavilion was awarded "Best in Show" and dubbed "the Dandelion" by the Chinese media for its design featuring 60,000 rods which each contained a distinct seed. The British Council's Climate Generation Expo Legacy Programme is distributing 1,000 seed rods from the Pavilion along with educational materials to schools across China as a tool for teachers developing biodiversity themes in their curriculum.

The two students who received the seed rod reciprocated by giving the Prime Minster a painting and two calligraphy scrolls which they had created on the theme of environmental protection. Before departing the school, the Prime Minster was also treated to a musical performance by a student orchestra who played on traditional instruments the folk song, "The Fragrance of Osmanthus Perfumes the Autumn Air."

(China.org.cn November 15, 2010)