Concert on riverbank promotes water conservation

A concert to promote water conservation and environmental protection was given on the banks of the Yellow River in Guide county, in Northwest Qinghai province on June 17.

The concert on World Desertification and Drought Prevention Day, featured the Symphony Orchestra of the Qinghai Ethnic Song and Dance Troupe, the Chorus of the Inner Mongolia Song and Dance Troupe and the Central Radio Children's Choir.

In the two-hour concert, they performed songs about snowy mountains, the Kekexili region, and the Yellow and Yangtze rivers.

"Qinghai is a province with abundant water resources. With the deterioration of water reserves, we should spare no efforts to protect the lifeline of humankind. It is our responsibility to call on people around the world to fight against desertification and drought," said Vice-Governor of Qinghai Jidi Majia, who was the artistic director of the concert.

The Three-River-Source Natural Reserve, the place where the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang rivers originate, lies in the hinterland of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and covers 360,000 square kilometers, almost half of the area of Qinghai.

"I had never seen the Yellow River so clear before," said Meng Dapeng, conductor of Central Radio Children's Choir. "I took lots of pictures of the Yellow River and uploaded them on my micro blog, which attracted many fans. Like me, they couldn't believe that the Yellow River could be so clean."

The Central Radio Children's Choir performed the song Kekexili, which is about the beautiful natural scenery of the area and Tibetan antelope.

"We've performed the song many times before, but we really felt the meaning of the lyrics when we got here," the conductor said.

Li Zhengyong, a farmer from a nearby village said that the concert has been held in his hometown for five years and lots of artists, singers and dancers come to the banks of the Yellow River. The concert offers the local people a chance to enjoy live classical music.