The opening ceremony of the China Environmental Protection Festival 2005 was held in Beijing Wednesday.

Five Chinese environmentalists were awarded the top governmental prize in environmental protection.

Tian Guirong, a farmer from central China's Henan Province who collected used batteries at her own expense was among the winners, dubbed as the Green China Annual Figures.

At the awarding ceremony, celebrities like TV hostess Yang Lan, Taiwan singer Jeff Chang and R&B composer David Tao received certificates of "Chinese Environment Ambassador" from the State Environmental Protection Administration.

At the opening of the festival, Hong Kong and Taiwanese singers such as Jackie Chan, David Tao and Jeff Chang, together with mainland celebrities staged a grand performance to promote environmental protection awareness in the country.

World renowned Chinese tenor Dai Yuqiang sang "Green China," the theme song for the festival, with two other tenors.

Klaus Toepfer, under secretary of the United Nations and executive director of the Nairobi-based UN Environment Program attended the ceremony and presented prizes to winners.

During the month-long festival, west China's Qinghai Province and east China's Fujian Province will host various cultural activities to heighten the public's environmental protection awareness.

(Xinhua News Agency December 1, 2005)