On July 12, the 2026 International Forum on Regional Cooperation for Sustainable Development of Green Mountains was successfully held in Chongqing. Jointly organised by the China Energy Research Society, the Chongqing Renewable Energy Society, and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), the forum brought together more than 120 delegates from China, Nepal, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Vietnam, Mongolia, India and other countries and regions for in-depth discussions on regional green transition and pathways to sustainable development. Dr. Qi Xinjian, Assistant Director of the UNESCO International Research and Training Centre for Rural Education (INRULED), was invited to attend the forum.
During the Panel Discussion session of the main forum, Dr. Qi Xinjian shared insights on such key topics as knowledge system building for the green transition of mountain communities, education empowerment, and strengthening community self-governance capacity. Drawing on UNESCO INRULED’s long-standing practical experience in rural education, he highlighted its work on building learning villages in the digital era, the operating mechanisms of its Rural Community Learning Centre projects, and the integration of a gender-equality perspective into project management. Dr. Qi explained the underlying logic and pathways through which education can effectively empower the green transition of mountain communities, offering a case study of both theoretical value and practical reference for the sustainable development of mountainous regions.
Three thematic parallel sessions were held alongside the main forum, focusing respectively on smart energy storage and demand-side management, international technology transfer and international volunteer service, and women and energy, broadening perspectives on green cooperation from policy, technological and humanistic angles.