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Beijing City International School

Room 1309,

No. 77 Baiziwan Nan Er Rd Chaoyang District, Beijing 100022

Tel: +86 10 6778 3115

Fax: +86 10 6778 2757

Web: www.jgichina.org

Office Enquiries: info@jgichina.org

Volunteers: volunteer@jgichina.org

R&S Enquiries: groups@jgichina.org

Roots & Shoots E-Newsletter

from the R&S Beijing Office

PLEASE KINDLY CONSIDER OUR ENVIRONMENT BEFORE PRINTING

ISSUE 30                                                                                                                             AUGUST　2008

Jiangsu R&S volunteers in the earthquake zone

In June, close to one month after the devastating Earthquake in Sichuan, 5 students of Jing Jiang No.1 Middle School Roots & Shoots Group from Jiangsu Province went to Mianzhu city in Sichuan Province to spend 45 days helping people rebuild their community. The 5 volunteers helped to construct tent schools for students, hold classes for students whose school had collapsed, and established a sister Roots & Shoots group. The new R&S group is made-up of 23 students from local Mianzhu schools with two local university students. In addition, the R&S volunteers from Jiangsu conducted a survey along the nearby Mawei River, asking about pollution and waste disposal.  The student volunteers are hopeful that they have helped Mianzhu towards building a new green hometown!

The Jane Goodall Institute China is focused on the Roots & Shoots environmental education program in China. The R&S Program has been widely successful in providing a platform for young people, in schools of all levels and universities, to organize extracurricular environmental, humanitarian and animal protection activities in their local communities. With over 400 R&S groups across China, we are building awareness and changing behaviors of tens of thousands of young people.

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“Environmental Champions Speaker Series” at the Olympics Village features Roots & Shoots

           Mid-way through the Olympics, two representatives from the Roots & Shoots Beijing Office were invited to give a presentation to athletes, coaches, media and volunteers at the Olympics Village where the athletes stayed during the Games. The Coca-Cola Pin Trading Center at the Village was a popular spot for fans and volunteers and proved an intimate venue for a small workshop about Roots & Shoots and our philosophy that all of us can make a difference. The presentation was part of a speaker series hosted by Coca-Cola called “Environmental Champions.” Every athlete and coach at the Games, as well as each of Coke’s Environmental Champions, has been presented with a special T-shirt made from 5 recycled plastic bottles. In addition, Environmental Champions have all signed one of the T-shirts and it will be presented to the Toronto Olympics Committee to encourage them to make their games greener!

International Day of Peace 2008

          

           Every year in September, Dr. Jane invites Roots & Shoots groups around the world to join her in celebrating the importance of peace. Roots & Shoots members and friends demonstrate their hopes for worldwide peace by making giant peace dove puppets from reused materials and flying them on the United Nations International Day of Peace, in the knowledge that thousands of their counterparts around the world are hoping for the same and implementing similar activities. From the high peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro to the low plains of Kansas, Peace Doves fly, held high by hopeful hands.

           What can Roots & Shoots groups in China do for Day of Peace, which falls this year on Sunday, September 21^st?

· You can learn more by visiting the international R&S website (http://www.rootsandshoots.org/campaigns/dove);

· The R&S Beijing Office has printed Day of Peace cards in English that can be shared with friends and used as bookmarks;

· Coordinate several R&S groups to fly giant peace dove puppets together (contact the R&S Beijing Office for assistance in getting in touch with other groups)

· Plan a project that promotes peace

· Organize a Day of Peace community or school event

With thanks to ChevronTexaco China Energy

           In the new semester, the Roots & Shoots Beijing Office will be accepting applications for the Roots & Shoots Achievement Awards 2008. We believe that during the past year (September of 2007 to August of 2008), groups have all done a great job, and your hard efforts should be encouraged and commended, such that Dr. Jane herself will be presenting the awards during her next visit in early December. Please send your project reports and photos to us by October 20^th, 2008, to: aa@jgichina.org. (A sample report can be found in the R&S Coordinators Handbook.). If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us via the above email.

           Hello everyone, my name is Zhang Mei. I am very glad to be a part of the Roots & Shoots family. Before R&S, I was working for an NGO which helps orphans and disabled children in need. I think that environmental education is also very important, as Dr. Jane Goodall says “Only if we understand can we care; only if we care will we help; only if we help shall all be saved.” I hope that I could make a difference to our environment through working with Roots & Shoots.

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Would you like to discuss environmental topics with Chinese students in English?

           The Roots & Shoots Beijing Office is seeking volunteers to implement our “Eco-English” project during the autumn semester.  The project involves volunteers teaching a series of English classes about environmental topics in local Chinese middle and high schools. The Roots & Shoots Beijing Office arranges the appointments with schools and also has prepared flexible curriculum content.  Volunteers’ time commitment is flexible, usually only one class per week during school hours (Monday-Friday). If you would like to get involved, please contact: volunteer@jgichina.org.

Messages of Hope

           Roots & Shoots groups from the New England area of the U.S. sent many cards, letters and drawings for Roots & Shoots groups in Sichuan, China. They wanted to pass messages of hope to the survivors of the devastating earthquake of May 12. They wrote: “Don’t worry, the fog will lift”, “When it gets darkest, the stars come out!” and “You have friends in America” etc. Roots & Shoots Chengdu Office is delivering these loving gifts to Roots & Shoots groups in Sichuan.

Impressions from Roots & Shoots volunteers who volunteered at the Olympics

Song Ming, R&S Volunteer from Beijing Union University

           When I was younger, I thought the Olympic Games were an entirely foreign thing, far away from my home country of China. But now, they’ve come to Beijing and I was able to volunteer for Coca-Cola, one of the largest worldwide sponsors of the Games. My job was stationed at one of the big hotels, welcoming Coke’s guests from all over the world as one of the first people they encounter in China, and I did my best to make use of my youthful energy and our Chinese tradition of hospitality to make them feel welcome. I really enjoyed the opportunity for friendly exchange with so many people, and their appreciation and kind words of thanks for my small assistance to them really meant a lot. I was very inspired as well by my uniform because the t-shirt is made from recycled plastic bottles, and this is a great way to educate people about the need to reduce, reuse and recycle. I am honored to have been able to contribute to the friendly spirit of the Games and I had an unforgettable experience throughout!

Roots & Shoots Achievement Award 2008

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The Roots & Shoots Beijing Office is proud to announce a new partnership with iClub. Now, when you buy an iClub membership and benefit from their discounts at great restaurants and venues around Beijing, your membership benefits Roots & Shoots activities! Find out more about the iClub membership benefits by visiting www.iclubchina.com, and then be sure to buy your membership through our office. We will also be selling the memberships at some of our upcoming events.