Friends of Nature (China) facts for kids
Friends of Nature (FON) is China's very first environmental group that was officially recognized. It started on March 31, 1994. FON helps people learn about protecting our planet. They teach about important things like saving animals that are in danger, recycling, and saving energy. They do this through fun workshops, trips to nature, and by training teachers. FON also helped other environmental groups and student clubs get started across China.
Who Started Friends of Nature?
Friends of Nature was started by a kind person named Liang Congjie. His parents, Liang Sicheng and Lin Huiyin, were famous experts in Chinese architecture from the 1900s. Another person, Hu Jia, became very interested in protecting the environment after joining activities with FON.
Protecting the Tibetan Antelope
In 1996, members of FON traveled to a place called Kekexili. They went there to learn more about the Tibetan antelope, a special animal that lives in the mountains.
Two years later, in 1998, FON held several meetings to talk about how to protect the Tibetan antelope. They worked with big international groups like the World Wide Fund for Nature and the International Fund for Animal Welfare. These meetings helped many people understand the dangers the antelope faced.
In October 1998, Liang Congjie wrote an important letter to the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. He asked the United Kingdom to help stop the illegal trade of Tibetan antelope fur. Prime Minister Blair quickly responded the very next day. He showed he cared and supported China's efforts to protect these antelopes. Tony Blair's response brought a lot of attention from news around the world. Many people wanted to help and joined the program, giving money and support to FON's campaign.
