On April 1, 2021, the first introduction and communication meeting of “Eco-college” project was held in the Institute of Urban Environment (IUE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). The “Eco-college” project is a demonstration project to show how a systems approach to health and wellbeing can be implemented. 

The Workshop was organized by Urban Health and Wellbeing Programme Office (UHWB IPO). Xiamen Dongfu Tengfei China Merchants Service Co., Ltd, Xiamen Yunqu Culture Media Co., Ltd, and the Jiuqi Huaxia Team (Cross-strait Tsinghua Research Institute) from Dongfu, Haicang, Xiamen were invited. Chen Chunping from Rural Revitalization Research Center of Cross-strait Tsinghua Research Institute gave the speech entitled Human Settlement Environment-Theoretical, Guidance and Practical. He emphasized that Rural construction cannot be limited to traditional village renovation, but a comprehensive and three-dimensional examination from the perspective of system approaches, which help to improve living environment, promote economic development, and realize rural revitalization. Si miaomiao from Xiamen Yunqu Culture Media Co., Ltd introduced the Life·Cloud Brand Operation Plan in Dongfu. She briefly introduced the brand goals they have made to develop local culture the characteristics through cultural propaganda, and to increase farmers income in a market-oriented way. UHWB-IPO team members presented the background information of UHWB and the conception of system approaches, lastly, introduced the conception, vision and missions of “Eco-collage” project. 

The project vision is to construct an international center for the co-creation of knowledge, health and peace for building ecological civilization through experiencing nature, sharing of knowledge and community engagement. The center will make important contributions to science diplomacy, knowledge co-creation and finding local solutions, together across boundaries, for the planetary health emergencies we are facing and their causes. In discussion session, Dongfu visitors suggested that UHWB-IPO should arrange some field surveys in Dongfu and visit various villages to find out potential opportunities. Franz expressed the vision of future development that the " Eco-college" project could be implemented in many places in China and expected to integrate more ecological projects. Huaxia team plans to invite UHWB-IPO to Cross-Strait Tsinghua Research Institute for academic exchange on how the integration of production, education and research can help the strategic development of rural revitalization. 

Online reading