Y2Y Network for Environment

On 25th July 2018, TERRE organized Press Conference in Pune (India) to announce the joint environment research

expedition 'Wildness Training and Reintroduction of Giant Panda' with Operation Earth (China),

which will be organized in the first week of October 2018. 

TERRE Policy Centre (India) and Operation Earth (China) have joined hands to form 'India-China Friendship Association for Environment'. The first of its kind, this Association is aimed at promoting the Youth-to-Youth (Y2Y) network between India and China.

For this exciting expedition of seven days in Wolong National Nature Reserve, Sichuan China, three deserving Indian candidates between the age of 18 to 21 years will get the opportunity to volunteer in the expedition on full sponsorship. The nation-wide online selection process has been announced and will take place in three steps: first - applying online, second - taking part in video campaign competition and finally, personal interview. The last date to apply online is 5th July 2018.

"We are taking the wish of our leaders, PM Modi and President Xi further to enhance people to people dialogue," said the joint statement issued in Beijing by Rajendra Shende, Chairman TERRE Policy Centre and Former Director UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) and Chen Liangzhong, Founder CEO of Operation Earth and Former Consultant of World Bank. Both TERRE and Operation Earth are the members of IUCN – International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Conservation of Amazon Rainforest Ecosystem, East Africa Black Rhinos, Arctic Ecology, Wetland Ecosystem of Mekong, Marine Ecosystem of Galapagos, Mt. Altay Ecosystem in China and Conservation of Giant Pandas are some of the successful expeditions undertaken.

The selected volunteers will have an opportunity of 'reinforcing' small and isolated populations of wild pandas in the region through strategic release of captive pandas.

This unique partnership between India and China follows on close heels of the informal Wuhan summit between President Xi and Prime Minister Modi that emphasized the need for people-to-people dialogue. The initiative is also in-linewith the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 15 Life on Land and SDG 17 Partnership for Goals). TERRE and Operation Earth believe in achieving goals through effective collaboration and with innovative programs targeting the current generation in bringing tangible contributions to national and international goals toward Environment and Sustainable Development.