A forum featuring ecological civilization construction in sandy areas and promoting the Mongolian culture of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) was held in Ordos, Inner Mongolia autonomous region on Sept 5.

Sponsored by the China Green Foundation and the government of Ordos’ Ejin Horo Banner, the forum is one of the side-events of the 13th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), which opened in Ordos on Sept 6 and will last until Sept 17.

The speakers discussed topics ranging from desertification control of the countries along the Belt and Road to cultural heritage and concepts of modern ecological civilization.

They insisted on the need to change some irrational traditional production modes and unhealthy lifestyles and encouraged people to participate in combating desertification with scientific approaches.

The forum was attended by Chen Shuxian, chairman of the China Green Foundation, Zhang Xinsheng, chairman of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Council, and Yang Dalai, vice-chairman of the Ejin Horo Banner Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.