Wang Shi: Rowing as a Way to Promote Water Conversation

Wang Shi: Rowing as a Way to Promote Water Conversation
—ARF Signed Strategic Cooperation Agreement with WWF
 
On the 15^thof March, 2015, Asian Rowing Federation (ARF) signed Strategic Cooperation Agreement with World Wildlife Fund (WWF)in Shanghai. Wang Shi, president of ARF, and Mark Lamborghini, global director-general of WWF, witnessed this very moment.
This agreement opened up a new way of cooperation between Asian sports and water conservation. Both sides will utilize their respective resources so as to integrate, interact, and collaborate with each other. The promotion of rowing in Asia will also be used as a platform to improve people’s awareness of water conservation in more and more cities, as well as to accelerate the establishment of new standard concerning aquatics.
This agreement covers three parts. Firstly, establishthe cooperation platform concerning rowing and water conservation. Secondly, establish a standard of aquatics which is environmentally friendly. WWF will be involved in the construction of sports fields from a professional perspective, in charge of optimizing the sports environment, establishing the database of rowing, taking down the scale of the sports fields and the quality of water, so as to lay a solid foundation for ARF to spread the concept of environmentally friendly sports. Thirdly, disseminate the idea of “Water Conservation” together, as well as promote the rowing competition to be held in Asian rivers, which can serve as a way to publicize the idea of water protection in Asia.
At the signing ceremony, Mark Lamborghini said, “we should create a kind of future in which people can live in harmony with nature, a future in which people can row in a clean river. There will be birds flying over and fishes swimming beneath it.” Wang Shi remarked, “because of environmental organizations’ participation in the Olympics, which has very positive impact, we were thus able to enjoy the blue sky in Beijing during that period. Environment organizations have really made a difference.” The agreement signed by WWF and ARF reflects the direction that Asian sports is heading towards. It is also towards this direction that China can hope to accomplish cultural resurgence.
 
Rowing as a Way to Connect Sports and Environmental Protection
Rowing is originated in River Thames, England, enjoying a history of more than two hundred years. It is a kind of sport which is environmentally friendly andinternational, which can also build up teamwork spirit. The rowing competition which is most well-known is the one between Oxford and Cambridge, dating back to one hundred years ago. In China, Peking University and Tsinghua University once held rowing competition against each other.
Wang Shi, chairman of ARF holds the belief that China has already reached the point to promote rowing. In China, urbanization has been progressing smoothly to a certain extent and a great many people are interested in rowing. It is difficult for rowing to become as popular as that of ping-pong and football in China, but in this country, as long as there is some portion of people who are fascinated by rowing, it is enough because of the large population base.
Sports and environment are basics that enable people to live a healthy life. It is wonderful that the cooperation between sports and environmental protection is established. While rowers are rowing, it is as if they resemble the integration between human beings and nature. Rowing stands for health and sustainable development, so does environmental protection. Therefore, the promotion of sports and environmental protection is itself a matter concerning people’s healthy development.
 
Wang Shi, a Pioneer as the Chairman of ARF
In September 2014, Wang Shi, chairman of the board of directors of China Vanke Co. Ltd., was elected the chairman of ARF, whose term of office is from 2014 to 2018.He is the first Chinese chairman of aninternationalsports organization who is himself not a sportsman but an entrepreneur.
Wang Shi is a fan of rowing. Starting from the time when he was studying in Harvard, rowing is the only sport which he keeps practicing, even up to now. At present, Wang Shi is a visiting scholar at Cambridge. Not only does he participate in the rowing training on campus, he is also the initiator of Deep Dive, a Training Camp covering rowing, which is specialized for Chinese entrepreneurs.
As an entrepreneur rather than a sportsman, what Wang Shi will do as the chairman of ARF attracts a lot of attention. This agreement signed by Wang Shi is one of his actions. Wang Shi said, “China is in need of cultural resurgence and this should be carried out in many ways. We sincerely hope that promoting rowing is one of the ways towards cultural resurgence, which can make a wonderful symphony together with other approaches.”
 
 
 
 
 
Appendix:
WWF
Founded in 1961, World Wildlife Fund is an environmental organization of great renown. It aims at protecting the biodiversity, guaranteeing the sustainable use of natural resources, and diminishing pollution and wasteful consumption. WWF has a tender relationship with China starting from WWF’s contribution to the conservation of panda and its habitat in 1980. WWF is the first NGO invited by Chinese government to operate in China.
ARF
Founded in 1982, Asian Rowing Federation is an organization which promotes rowing in Asia. At present, there are 33 member countries in Asia. Founded in 1892, FISA (International Rowing Federation) is the first sports federation all over the world. FISA is dedicated to engaging in sporting events around the world. It also maintains close touch and cooperation with other international sports federations and organizations.