2025 Youth Leadership Training – “Take the Green Pulse” Sustainable Development Challenge Successfully Concluded

“Each work gathers the creativity and kindness of the students, and each creation conveys the resonance of the soul!” The two-month Sustainable Development Challenge has come to an end. Thank you to all the students who participated in this competition for injecting new energy into the green charity cause!

SCHEDULE REVIEW

• Youth Leadership Training

Guest mentors from PWC China’s and Shanghai Lianquan Charity Foundation (the Marine Project) were invited to discuss the sustainable development of the ocean and youth capacity building issues.

• Launch of the “Take the Green Pulse” Challenge

With marine protection as the core, focusing on the three major themes of marine pollution control, biodiversity protection, and sustainable lifestyles, all the participants were required to use visual language and recycled materials to create art collages, charity posters and handicrafts.

• One-on-One Companion Mentors

PWC China employee volunteers became Green Mentors for this challenge and provided one-on-one guidance to participating school groups to complete creation and display.

• Conclusion Ceremony

We received works full of fantastic ideas from Roots & Shoots groups across the country. With a unique perspective, students used environmentally friendly materials, lively colors and novel ideas to integrate their concerns for marine ecology into their works. Some used waste plastic bottles to collage marine life, some used acrylic paint to depict warning pictures of marine pollution, and there were also art installations created with plastic bags and jellyfish. Each work is full of deep affection for the ocean and determination to protect it, allowing us to see the responsibility of the younger generation for environmental protection. After fierce competition, a total of nine school groups advanced to the finals.

On the day of the conclusion ceremony, the students first had to introduce their works to the public and get public votes. This street voting was not only a stage for the display of the works, but also a national dissemination of the concept of marine protection. Every vote is a recognition of environmental protection creativity and a support for marine protection! Then, the students returned to the ceremony site and brought their works to the judges to introduce their works once again. In the presentation session, the students became “Marine Preachers” and prepared PPT, dynamic videos, physical demonstrations and other multiple forms to deeply interpret the ingenuity behind the works. The students used infectious language to transform abstract topics such as “reducing plastic pollution” and “protecting biodiversity” into concrete expressions, allowing the judges to deeply feel the determination of the young generation on protecting the blue. Finally, the judges scored the works from the perspectives of completion, aesthetic, and material.

To ensure the professionalism and fairness of the competition, the scoring dimensions were comprehensively evaluated from three aspects: public voting, speech skills, and work creation; the judges were composed of Shanghai Roots & Shoots (an NGO representative), PWC China (a sustainable development expert), and a fine-art expert. The judges they finally selected 1 first prize, 2 second prizes, 3 third prizes, and 3 excellent prizes.

During the award ceremony, the atmosphere was warm and extraordinary! The award-winning students, with excitement, received honorary certificates and exquisite prizes from the judges. The first, second and third prize-winning teams also received the “Green Fund”. Their faces were filled with proud smiles, which was not only a recognition of the team’s talent, but also a strong support for the cause of marine protection!

SOME OF THE WINNING WORKS

• First-prize Work “Remember the Color?” East China University of Science and Technology

Introduction: The coral model is painted with temperature-changing pigments. The colors will fade one by one as they are touched. This interactive process directly simulates how the warming of the sea water caused by human activities destroys the coral reef ecosystem. The plastic waves made of real marine garbage and the whale model entangled in fishing nets make the abstract data tangible.

Judge’s comments: It used to be beautiful and colorful, but now it is dull and gray. The same ocean has different scenes. The injured animals, garbage-strewn beaches, and withered plants shown in the works are all reminders for humans to be alert and protect the ocean without delay! -Megan Li, Executive Director, Shanghai Roots & Shoots

• Second-prize Work “Food?” Shanghai Shangde Experimental School

Introduction: The creator used light clay, old newspapers, and cardboard boxes to shape a turtle that accidentally ate a plastic bag. At the same time, this work incorporates real turtle food – live jellyfish, which increases the appeal of the work and forms a direct contrast with the plastic bag it tries to eat.

Judges’ comments: The work highlights a clear theme while retaining a high degree of interactivity and artistic sense. It not only conveys the concern to the audience in multiple dimensions, but also takes into account the selection of environmentally friendly materials. It is very creative. – Lin Yuan, PWC China

• Third-prize Work “De-plasticization • Revitalization” Tongji University

Introduction: The work uses white plastic bags to collage a bleached coral, which forms a clear contrast with the colorful corals painted with acrylic paint on the other side. The bleached coral symbolizes a series of marine environmental deterioration problems like coral bleaching, while the colorful corals symbolize the restoration of a healthy marine ecological environment. The sharp contrast between the corals on both sides highlights the shocking marine environmental problems and the necessity and urgency of taking action to improve the marine environment.

Judges’ comments: This work is relatively my favorite. It has a certain visual impact, and the clever color contrast makes the viewer feel the author’s emotions and sense of the times. It would be better if it was more detailed and refined! -Gu Zhongxiang, Member of Shanghai Artists Association, Oil Painter, Shanghai Model Worker

Although this challenge has come to an end, the action of marine protection will never stop. We hope that the award-winning students can continue to convey the concept of environmental protection through art, and we also look forward to more students joining the team of marine protection. 

Once again, we would like to express our warm congratulations to all the award-winning students! May we work together to protect the blue with actions and make the ocean’s tomorrow better! 

THOUGHTS OF PARTICIPATING STUDENTS

The Challenge made me deeply aware of the fragility of marine ecology and learn a lot of marine protection knowledge. The mentor patiently guided our work plan, the final work and the presentation. This event also made me grow a step further. It was the first time to lead a team independently, and it made me more determined to protect the earth with actions. Teamwork also made me gain precious friendships. -Tang Na, Shanghai University of Science and Technology

Humans are only a part of a larger existence, and it awakens our innate connection with the Earth and each other. Protecting the ocean is not just the responsibility of relevant organizations, but a common mission for all of humanity. This event perfectly combines art and environmental protection, like a lighthouse awakening the public’s attention to the problem of marine garbage, and more like a clarion call for people to actively participate in sustainable ocean governance and environmental protection actions. – Frank & Olivia，Shanghai Liaoyuan Bilingual School (International Division)

Special thanks to the full support of PWC China, the charity partner of this event!