On the 25th, against the beautiful scenery of “China’s Summer Capital,” nearly 10,000 hiking enthusiasts from the United States, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Hungary, and other countries, as well as “hikers” from 32 cities including Beijing, Shenyang, Xi'an, and Chongqing, gathered in Qinhuangdao, Hebei Province, to participate in the “9th World Hiking Congress.”
The theme of this year’s hiking congress is: Strong Sports, Strong Chinese Dream. The World Hiking Congress, which has been successfully held for eight consecutive editions, has won the favor of numerous hiking enthusiasts both at home and abroad, with tens of thousands of participants joining the hike every year.
At around 9 a.m., as the starting gun sounded, registered participants wearing the congress’s unified caps, badges, and wristbands, and holding flags, set off under the leadership of congress ambassadors Chen Zhonghe and Ye Lan. They hiked along Qinhuangdao’s most scenic coastline, from Tanghe to Daihe, following pre-set routes of 8 km, 10 km, and 20 km.
This year’s congress innovatively introduced the traditional Dutch sport of Wadlopen (mudflat hiking) along Qinhuangdao’s most picturesque shoreline. From Tanghe to Daihe, participants enjoyed the most stunning early-summer coastal views in Qinhuangdao, allowing hiking enthusiasts to get even closer to nature.
The World Hiking Congress is a public welfare mass event that has been successfully held for eight consecutive years, taking place on the fourth Saturday of May each year. With the purpose of “togetherness, nature, health, and harmony,” the event has garnered considerable attention both domestically and internationally over the past nine years. It has become a city-level brand of Qinhuangdao that integrates sports, tourism, and culture. While actively promoting national fitness, it also showcases the beauty, vitality, and enthusiasm of Qinhuangdao to guests from all over the world.
At the launch ceremony, Chen Zhong, a two-time Olympic gold medalist (27th and 28th editions), was invited to serve as the “2013 Hiking Ambassador.” Ye Lan, recipient of China’s highest environmental award, the “Earth Prize,” led 30 representatives in publicly releasing the “Green Travel Declaration” manifesto.