On April 1, the Belt and Road Training Program on Urban Mining and Associated Pollution Prevention & Control (hereinafter referred to as the Program) was successfully concluded at Shanghai Polytechnic University (SSPU). It was hosted by Shanghai Municipal Education Commission. SSPU invited Basel Convention Centre Regional Centre for Asia and the Pacific, the Stockholm Convention Regional Centre for Capacity Building and Transfer of Technology in Asia and the Pacific, the State of Environmental Protection Engineering Centre for the Recycle Information and Treatment of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment, the China Technology Innovation Strategic Alliance for Resource Recycling Industry and other institutions to be the co-organizers of the Program. The Program aims to promote cooperation in the fields of urban mining and pollution prevention among the Belt and Road countries, push forward the building of ecological environmental protection capabilities in various countries, and work together beyond the traditional development paths to achieve a green transformation and development of the economy. The two-week Program was held in Beijing and Shanghai respectively. 21 participants from 13 countries including Pakistan, Indonesia, South Africa, Iran, Laos, Mongolia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Maldives participated in the Program.

Song Baoru, Chair of University Administration Committee, Qiao Liqing, Director of International Office, Wang Jingwei, Executive Director of Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Centre for WEEE Recycling (WEEE Centre), Li Yanfen, Party Branch Secretary of WEEE Centre, Professor Li Jinhui, Executive Director of Basel Convention Regional Centre for Asia and the Pacific Region, Yang Jianxin, Researcher of Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and all the program participants attended the closing ceremony.

Professor Wang Jingwei first summarized the Program as the representative of the organizers. Professor Li Jinhui and Yang Jianxin then delivered speeches on behalf of the co-organizers and lecturers. Zama Mtembu, participant from South Africa, spoke on behalf of the participants. He said that through this training program they gained knowledge, learned more about Chinese culture, and conducted field trips. The entire program was successfully designed. The training experience would be an indelible memory to all the participants.

On behalf of SSPU, Chair Song Baoru thanked all those who participated in the Program for curriculum design, course teaching, and organization and implementation. Chair Song briefed the participants on the three historical development stages of environmental protection and remediation in China, the development concept that “Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” and the sense of urgency to protect the environment. He emphasized that through this program, SSPU and WEEE Centre would further establish a foothold in Shanghai and build a more open cooperation platform for the “Belt and Road” countries and regions. Chair Song also hoped that the participants would apply the achievements of this program to the related works in the field of urban mining in their own countries, and therefore establish and deepen exchanges and cooperation with SSPU. At the end of the ceremony, Chair Song personally presented every participant with a certificate and took photos with them.

During the training, Zha Ping, Director of Shanghai Solid Waste Management Center, Yang Jianxin, Researcher of Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yue Dongbei, Special Researcher of Tsinghua University, Associate Professor Lu Wenjing of Tsinghua University, Craig Boljkovac, Senior Advisor of Basel Convention Regional Centre for Asia and the Pacific, Professor Li Guangming of Tongji University, Professor Zhao Youcai of Tongji University, Professor Qian Guangren of Shanghai University, Yang Shiqiao, Vice President of China Everbright Environmental Technology (China) Co., Ltd., Fang Lifen, Director of Wei Xiang (China), and Dr. Li Jie of Green Eco-Manufactures gave lectures about urban mining and associated pollution prevention & control to the participants. At the same time, Associate Professor Wang Donghui of the School of Applied Arts & Design and Dr. Zhang Tiantian of the School of International Exchange gave cultural experience classes including Chinese painting and calligraphy and Chinese language to the participants. In addition, all the participants visited WEEE Centre, Shanghai Laogang Waste Disposal Co., Ltd. and Shanghai New Jinqiao Environmental Protection Co., Ltd.