A Cinematic Journey Across Mountains and Seas: Painting a New Green Vision of the Silk Road
On April 15, 2025, the 3rd Micro-Video Contest on Global Green Development Stories Award Ceremony & the 4th Micro-Video Contest Invitation Ceremony took place in Shenzhen. With the camera as their vessel, over 560 entries from 32 countries traversed the deserts of Central Asia and the grasslands of Africa, weaving an ecological dialogue between the Crescent Spring in Dunhuang and the solar matrix in Dubai. Together, they composed a vivid green narrative that transcended mountains and seas, unfolding in the dynamic city of Shenzhen.
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At the ceremony, senior officials presented awards to 32 outstanding individuals and organizations. Special guests and business representatives shared exemplary cases of green development. Zhang Yali, Deputy Director of the Ecology and Environment Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality, attended the event and delivered remarks.
Over 560 Entries from 32 Countries Jointly Depict a Green Ecological Scroll along the Belt and Road
In April, as spring surged through Shenzhen, green waves rippled across the big screen in the conference hall of Qianhai Tower. Frame by frame, powerful visual stories unfolded: An "environmental officer" from the East Coast Rail Line in Malaysia recounted how engineers from CCCC Fourth Harbor Engineering Co., Ltd. built "green bridges" across the land to safeguard local ecosystems; international students formed a travel group to Qingshan Village in Hangzhou, revealing a vibrant picture of diversified industries harmoniously coexisting with nature; a five-year-old "eco-guardian" from the Hong Kong SAR carefully sorted recyclable materials with his tiny hands; Shenzhen-based Hithium Hero Power Equality Energy Technology Co., Ltd. documented how its off-grid energy solutions are bringing stable electricity to power-deprived communities in Africa. These award-winning works vividly showcase the diverse and innovative practices emerging across Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) partner countries in clean energy, green infrastructure, and ecological protection.
"Recyclables can become treasures—soda cans go in the blue bin," said a five-year-old contestant with the nickname "McDull", from Hong Kong, in his soft, innocent voice. His green journey became a highlight of the competition. With years of encouragement from his family, McDull has been practicing waste sorting for four years. His mother shared that, supported by Hong Kong's environmental policies and guided by parental example, environmental awareness has become second nature to her child. "We hope that sorting waste becomes as natural as breathing."
McDull, a contestant from Hong Kong SAR.
"As the camel bells of new energy chime once more, and the sparks of symbiotic civilization illuminate the world, we will, within the grand scroll of a shared future for all life on Earth, witness the hope we plant today take root and blossom." Data from the organizing committee shows that this year's competition reached a new peak in both scale and influence. From just over 150 entries submitted by more than 10 countries in its first year, the event has grown exponentially—attracting more than 560 outstanding submissions from 32 countries in its third edition. The scope of participation has expanded, the volume of content has surged, and the narrative themes have become increasingly diverse. Outstanding entries such as Silk Road & Low-Carbon Dream, Rural Visions from Gen Z Around the World, and Traveling While Picking Up Trash have amassed over 100 million views across global social media platforms, sparking lively discussions among young people worldwide on the future of green development.
Guests engage in free exchange.
Green Technologies Going Global: "Small and Beautiful" Projects Taking Root Worldwide
At the award ceremony, Zhang Yali, Deputy Director of the Ecology and Environment Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality, emphasized that in 2024, Shenzhen's total imports and exports with BRI partner countries reached RMB 1.63 trillion, marking a year-on-year increase of 21%. Notably, exports of new energy products accounted for over 30% of the total. Behind this impressive achievement lies a multidimensional network of green cooperation that Shenzhen has been building. The city has established sister-city or friendly exchange relationships with 53 cities across 40 BRI countries, engaging in broad-based collaboration in trade and investment, innovation-driven industries, culture, and tourism. Moreover, it has joined hands with the Ministry of Ecology and Environment to co-establish China's first national-level platform to support the Green BRI, further integrating itself into the development of the Green Silk Road. Shenzhen has also embedded the green development philosophy into every facet of urban development. These practical initiatives have not only laid a solid foundation for the city's sustainable growth, but also provided replicable experiences for BRI partner countries in their pursuit of green transformation.
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The award-winning enterprises offer compelling evidence of this growing momentum. TAILG Technology Group, which claimed the Grand Prize for its short video Silk Road & Low-Carbon Dream, has deployed its fleet of new energy postal vehicles across hundreds of islands in the Philippines, reducing carbon emissions by an amount equivalent to planting 230,000 trees annually. i2Cool built a zero-energy cooling system in the deserts of the UAE, cutting energy consumption in buildings by 70%. The system has since been adopted into Dubai's Net Zero 2050 Strategy. Company by company, Shenzhen enterprises are translating China's green development solutions into practical, localized approaches that partner countries can understand, apply, and benefit from. A growing number of "small and beautiful" projects, grounded in local needs, focused on improving livelihoods, and delivering visible results, are now taking root around the world, transforming the vision of Green BRI into shared, tangible progress.
At the event, Meng Xiangwei, former Principal of OCT Wetland Park Nature School, delivered remarks. "Nature is the best teacher," she said, highlighting the need to sow the seeds of ecological awareness and treat the environment as we would treat life itself. The 2.5-kilometer trail at the school is a moving ecological classroom.
Ye Xiaoling, founder of Nongxing Technology (Zhongshan) Co., Ltd., shared new opportunities for expanding green agriculture overseas. Raised in a rural village in Shanwei, she has brought distinctive highland agricultural products, such as Yunnan tea, Guizhou kiwifruit, Zhaotong apples, and chestnut rose, out of the mountains and onto the international stage. With the support of Belt and Road Environmental Technology Exchange and Transfer Center (Shenzhen), Ye signed an export agreement with a business partner from Uzbekistan, bringing Chinese green agricultural products to Central Asia. Despite not knowing a single word of English, she creatively turned to AI translation tools to overcome the language barrier, which demonstrates how technology can serve as a bridge for cross-border cooperation in sustainable agriculture.
Global Launch of the Fourth Micro-Video Contest, Expanding the Narrative Frontiers Through Three Innovations
Amid much anticipation, the 4th Micro-Video Contest on Global Green Development Stories was officially launched, extending an open invitation to participants worldwide.
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Zhang Yali, Deputy Director of the Ecology and Environment Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality, stated that standing at a new starting point, the 4th edition is expected to play a leading role in three key areas:
First, amplifying the global reach of green development values. The context will further advance Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization and adhere to General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions on "telling the stories of BRI cooperation well." It aims to strengthen its international communication capacity and outreach, enabling small and beautiful stories of green development to blossom across borders.
Second, deepening exchange and mutual learning. By enriching the competition's content and innovating its formats, it seeks to engage more countries, cities, and creators for cross-cultural dialogue, cooperation, and global sharing of green development experiences.
Third, showcasing Shenzhen's pioneering role in Chinese modernization. The contest will be leveraged as a platform to present Shenzhen's achievements in green governance and innovation amidst Chinese modernization. This will allow Shenzhen's green practices to shine as a model along the Silk Road.
Hao Mingtu, Director of the Belt and Road Environmental Technology Exchange and Transfer Center (Shenzhen), emphasized that the competition is not merely a stage for exhibition but also a shared platform for collaboration and collective progress. He expressed hope that all those who care about green development will use short videos to record real stories, use storytelling to convey green values, and use those values to inspire change, so that the seeds of green development may take root, blossom, and bear fruit across the globe.