UNEP-Tongji Leadership Programme - SHANGHAI and SUZHOU, China

The UNEP-Tongji Asia Pacific Leadership Programme on Environment for Sustainable Development has been conducted annually since 2004, on a collaborative basis between Tongji University and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The 2008 Leadership Programme was held during the week of 15-20 September 2008, at the premises of the UNEP Tongji Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development (IESD) in Shanghai, China, followed by a series of site visits to the eco-industrial city of Suzhou municipality.

This year 28 participants from 18 countries were selected, in which Aretha and Nuki had the opportunity to be part of. The Hanns Seidel Foundation and UNEP generously sponsored our participation and stay in China for a week, to pursue the intensive Leadership Programme that aims to build network and strengthen knowledge on the emerging issues on environment, especially in the Asia and the Pacific region.

During the intense weeks, we managed to make use of the night "session" more fruitful, by going to Shanghai downtown, do some shopping, and sight-seeing. We normally would went in a group of some good new friends, and would compare prices of the stuff that we bought, sometimes followed by delight of getting cheaper price, but sometimes with disappointment for having to pay more than what the goods were worth.

Nanjing Road, Shanghai downtown at 8:00 pm.

Modern as it is, with European/American/Asian mixed-designs of the building, Shanghai is a unique city which is worth a visit.



On the third day in Shanghai, we had the chance to do some more sight-seeing just the two of us, and visited the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, located in Pudong Park, which is the world's third tallest TV and radio tower, with 468 meters high above the ground.

The view from the top of the tower was unbelievably breath taking.

Following the session of lectures that were delivered by Resource Persons from Yale University, Griffith University, AIT, etc, and from private sectors such as HSBC and Bayer, we were brought to Suzhou city, an industrial municipality located 1 hour away from Shanghai. We stayed at the hotel provided by the organizer, which was at the heart of the shopping area and night entertainment in Suzhou.

Checking-in at the hotel in Suzhou


At the Exhibition of the Ecological Park in Suzhou, there were some interesting showcase of eco-friendly technologies with which the city was developed. Above picture is us sitting on top of the sturdy glass showcase of this eco-city modelling.