Several dozens of volunteers from more than 20 countries, including China, Britain, France, Singapore and the Republic of Korea, planted 50 cypresses at a forest part in northeastern Beijing Monday morning, marking the beginning of the program.

First Secretary Zhou Qiang of the Secretariat of the CYLC Central Committee and Representative of the Asia-Europe Foundation Ulrich Neimann spoke at the inaugural ceremony, hoping the event will help foster an awareness of environmental protection among young people and promote friendship between Chinese youth and their counterparts in the rest of the world.

From now on, local and foreign young volunteers will have the opportunity to plant trees in an area of 67 hectares in the Beijing forest park.

After the event in Beijing, the foreign volunteers will leave for Jinan, capital city of east China's Shandong Province, where they will also plant trees and participate in a number of cultural activities.

(Xinhua)