In one Tibetan community the villagers have recently knocked down a 500 year-old watchtower in order to build standardized guesthouses. The intention is to bring more wealth to these poor communities, but the traditional cultures are facing extinction and such unrestricted development comes with extensive environmental damage.

How can the villages and countryside develop in a sustainable way? How can development be a boon and not a bane?

Join us Friday, January 4, as we invite XiaoMei Liu, Dragon Yunhe operational manager, to discuss her NGO's approach to rural development through environmental, cultural and community-oriented innovation.

Dragon Yunhe is a privately owned social enterprise consisting of three subsidiaries. They are: Yunhe Planning & Design, which offers Urban Tourism and planning, Dragon Expeditions, which offers adventure and cultural tourism. These two subsidiaries contribute to the Nature Education Center, which focuses on Tibetan cultural conservation, environmental education and is a base for community projects.

Dragon Expeditions was founded in 2003 by a group of outdoor enthusiasts driven by the common goal to explore the great outdoors. Since then, they have dedicated themselves to guiding groups of international tourists (both adult and student) on trips and expeditions to remote and stunning mountain regions across western China. Their commitment to practice responsible tourism and advocacy for environmental protection has never failed since their inception. In May 2015, Dragon Expeditions created a center for nature-based learning and community development called Yunhe (Forest School) in Zhonglu.

The Yunhe program's main focus is to achieve a balance between nature and modernity and create a self-reliant community in Zhonglu Village by providing a framework in which knowledge can be shared, local resources are more efficiently and effectively used, and tourism is operated responsibly. Dragon Yunhe has a number of educational centers located in different regions throughout China.

Fresh Start Rotary Club of Shanghai is a member club of a global network of 1.2 million who envision a world where people unite to create lasting change. We support social enterprise and help empower entrepreneurs with a social purpose.

We warmly welcome all to attend, listen, and to ask questions.

*As we are a volunteer organization we are not equipped to deal with refunds, so please be sure of your purchase. Thank you.