On October 13, 2024, the closing ceremony of the “China Sponge City” national education program initiated by Beijing Municipal Education Commission was held at Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture (BUCEA), attended by Vice President LI Junqi and other delegates. The attendees first watched a short film about the education program, followed by an in-depth exchange where international students shared insights from their course. LI Junqi and ZHAO Xi presented certificates of completion to the long-term participants. LI Junqi also gave a summary of the program and shared his expectations for the students.

After the ceremony, the international students participated in the program’s final thematic event (the 10th session) — exploring the achievements of Beijing’s sub-center (Tongzhou), a pilot zone under the Sponge City initiative. The students visited the Green Heart Park in Tongzhou, and gained a clearer understanding of the real-world applications and achievements of Sponge City construction.

With the successful completion of the 10th thematic event, the 2024 “China Sponge City” national education program came to a close. Through 10 systematic training sessions covering 10 different topics, the international students gained a thorough understanding of the concepts, policies, pilot city practices, and key points throughout the process of China’s Sponge City construction.