April 22, 2026 marked the 57th Earth Day. This year’s theme was “Cherish Natural Resources, Protect Beautiful China.” Centered on this theme, Tianzhushan UNESCO Global Geopark organized a series of activities, including science popularization campaigns, study tours, and expert lectures on campus, to promote earth science knowledge among young people and enhance awareness of ecological protection.

On April 22, Tianzhushan UNESCO Global Geopark, together with multiple departments in Anqing and Qianshan responsible for natural resources and planning, ecology, and environment, as well as Wancheng Primary School, jointly held an Earth Day themed science popularization event. At the event, certificates were awarded to science popularization volunteers as science tutors, and a collective signature activity themed “Protect the Earth, Start with Me” was organized to encourage teachers and students to put green and environmentally friendly ideas into practice. Students visited the Tianzhushan Geopark Museum to systematically learn about the geological evolution, biological resources, and cultural heritage of Tianzhushan. They then took part in geological practice courses at the study camp, where they closely observed rock specimens and learned geological knowledge through interactive experiences. That afternoon, Professor Wu Weiping, a senior engineer from the Anhui Institute of Geological Survey, visited Wancheng Primary School and delivered a special lecture titled “The Mysteries of the Earth.” Drawing on Tianzhushan’s distinctive geological landscapes, he vividly explained the Earth’s structure, plate movement, geological changes, and resource protection, inspiring students’ enthusiasm for exploring earth science.

As an important post-conference science popularization practice activity of the 3rd Seminar on Science Popularization and Education in Earth and Planetary Sciences, Tianzhushan UNESCO Global Geopark organized an expert team on April 27 to carry out campus science outreach activities under the theme “Exploring the Geology of Tianzhu and Sensing the Mysteries of the Earth.” The team visited Tianzhushan Tourism School, Meicheng Primary School in Qianshan City, Wancheng Primary School, and Tianzhushan Central Primary School. Eight experts from Nanjing University, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guilin University of Technology, the Henan Academy of Geological Research, and other institutions delivered high-quality science classes to nearly 1,000 primary and secondary school students. Their topics included mineral crystals, the Earth’s internal structure, the mysteries behind the formation of Tianzhushan, earthquakes and groundwater, meteorites, the spirit of scientists, salt lake resources, and rock knowledge. These activities brought high-quality educational resources directly to campuses and deepened students’ understanding of and pride in the geological characteristics of their hometown.

This series of activities organically combined science explanation, hands-on practice, and expert lectures, effectively improving young people’s scientific literacy and awareness of ecological protection. In the future, Tianzhushan UNESCO Global Geopark will continue to play its role as a science education platform, establish a long-term mechanism for bringing geoscience popularization into schools, and carry out regular geological science outreach and ecological awareness activities, contributing to ecological civilization and the building of a Beautiful China.