Canadian oil and mineral merchant, environmental expert, environmental pioneer, the former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and the first executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Maurice Frederick Strong, passed away in Ottawa on November 27, 2015, aged 86. The titles of Mr. Strong are familiar to the world, not to mention to his former colleagues and friends for the cause of environmental protection along with him. Everyone will cherish the memories of Mr. Strong, through relishing the legacy he left behind to the world’s sustainable development and ecological environmental protection.
Maurice Strong (1929 - 2015) (Photo source: Internet)
Mr. Strong was the founder of the world’s environmental cause, father of protecting the earth. He spent most of his later years in China and was a mentor and friend of the Chinese people. He was not only a facilitator and founder of the cause of the global environmental governance and sustainable development, but also an important mentor to many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the global sustainable development field. He devoted his life’s power and wisdom to the cause of global sustainable development, and he promoted the cause of global environmental governance and the spirit of “Earth Worker” he represented. Mr. Strong supported the work of CBCGDF in his lifetime. The friendship between this old man and the Secretary-General of CBCGDF Dr. Zhou Jinfeng, lasted for more than one decade, and it has been remembered and cherished by CBCGDF which has contributed to the cause of environmental protection in China. his edification and inspirations have become a memory that we can share forever.
Dr. Zhou's photo with the old man of the year. (Photo: CBCGDF)
They met in the United States, taken during the last month of the old man's life. (Photo: CBCGDF)
At the end of 2017, Dr. Zhou and senior advisor of CBCGDF professor Fredrick C. Dubee met with their old friend professor C.S.Kiang, director of Peking University Environment Fund. All three are members of the international think tank the Club of Rome. In the conversation, they spontaneously brought up Mr. Strong, their common old friend, and expressed their admiration for his long-term vision of world development and his tremendous contribution to the UN. They could not help but fall into the heartfelt memory. Mr. Strong’s passing was told to Dr. Zhou by Professor Dubee via email. Dr. Zhou had been in a heavy mood. On January 27, 2016 the local time in Ottawa, Dr. Zhou was invited to visit Canada to mourn Mr. Strong.
In December 2017, Dr. Zhou and Prof. Fred Dubee (first from right) met with Prof. C. S. Kiang (second from right) and his wife.
In September 2017, Dr. Zhou met with the President of International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP), the President and co-founder of the Strong Universal Network (SUNx), Professor Geoffrey Lipman. The two remembered the common friend Mr. Strong and his unfinished business. At that time, they reached an agreement and decided to work together with international people such as Mr. Strong’s former colleagues and friends to write a book reminiscing about the old man to inherit his will and carry forward the great man’s dream and spirit for global sustainable development. As current UN’s Under-Secretary-General and UNEP’s Executive Director Achim Steiner evaluated, Mr. Strong put environmental protection issues on the international agenda, and put it at the core of development, on this basis, he will be remembered forever.
Prof. Lipman (middle) and Mr. Strong (first from left) (Photo source: thesunprogram.com)
Time flies, entering November 2018, the third anniversary of the old man’s passing away comes.
In October 2018, Dr. Zhou went to the Italian capital to attend the annual conference and the 50th anniversary conference of the Club of Rome, and was newly elected as member of the executive committee of the think tank. At the same time, Dr. Zhou met with Prof. Lipman, who had made a special trip, to talk about the global network SUNx, the inheritance of Mr. Strong’s spirit and heritage, and sustainable tourism issues with Dr. Zhou.
As the world’s leading and powerful universal network, SUNx is an important way to commemorate Mr. Strong and a valuable legacy for future generations. Mr. Strong’s vision is also an important factor in the development of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement. SUNx is called the Strong Universal Network, with double meanings: Mr. Strong’s last name to commemorate, but also means powerful. The mission of the SUNx network is to promote climate change resilience and Impact-Travel through a global could connectivity network at the center for learning, innovation and resilience.
During the meeting, following the results of previous discussions, Dr. Zhou received a precious gift from Prof. Lipman: a memoir about Mr. Strong has been published. In the spring of 2018, at the invitation of the European Center for Peace and Development, CBCGDF participated in the preparation of this book. Other authors include: Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, Martin Lees, current Senior Adviser to the President of COP 20 on Climate Change and Rector Emeritus of the University for Peace of the United Nations and Assistant Secretary General for Science and Technology for Development of the UN and Secretary General of the Club of Rome, and other international colleagues and Mr. Strong's life friends.
The title of this book is "LEGACY FOR THE FUTURE AND FUTURE GENERATIONS: REMEMBERING MAURICE F. STRONG - TRIBUTES AND REMINISCENCES". The chapter written by CBCGDF, entitled "A Mentor and a Friend Forever: Maurice Strong's Love for China". Highlighting the atmosphere of memories and commemorations, all the photos of the book are processed in black and white.
The newly published memoir about Maurice Strong. (Photo: CBCGDF)
The chapter written by CBCGDF is in the catalog. (Photo: CBCGDF)
Just as CBCGDF expresses in the memoir: Mr. Strong is a landmark figure in the history of environmental protection in the world. His demise has caused the international environmental protection community to lose a great leader and social activist and lost a great environmental pioneer. His passing is an irreparable loss for the international environmental protection community. We commemorate the founder of this great global sustainable development cause with unparalleled reverence; and will follow him as an example and unswervingly promote the cause of green economy and sustainable development.
(Photo: CBCGDF)
The admirable old man attended the 2013 Education Forum Asia Annual Conference in Chengdu. (Photo source: Internet)
Original Chinese article:
http://www.cbcgdf.org/NewsShow/4937/6547.html
By / Niu Jingmei