On the morning of June 8, the first Lychee Cultural Festival of the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) was held at the Runyang Stadium. Yurong GUO, University Council Chairperson, Chun LU, Vice President of SUSTech, heads and representatives of relevant departments, faculty staff, and students attended the event.

Chun LU delivered a speech at the opening ceremony. He said that the lychee orchards scattered across the campus, which occupies nearly half of the University’s total area, have long been a scenic view of SUSTech. The University’s lychees grow in a beautiful environment, surrounded by hills and brooks. The Lychee Cultural Festival aims to celebrate the summer season and enrich the campus life, and the community members would be able to enjoy the fruits yielded on campus.

Xinghua LI, Director of the Office of Administration and Space Management, presided over the opening ceremony. He said that their office would continue to promote the lychee culture, a distinctive campus culture of SUSTech.

SUSTech has around 165 acres of land that contains lychee trees of different varieties. Last year, more than 30,000 pounds (lbs) of high-quality lychees were picked and distributed to faculty members, staff, and students free of charge.

This year’s Lychee Cultural Festival included a variety of different activities for guests to attend. There was a lychee food tasting area, a science exhibition area, a cultural heritage activity area, etc. Due to current epidemic prevention and control measures, the event allowed a limited number of people inside for a fixed time period. This ensured a smooth process of strict epidemic prevention and control.

Guobin WANG, Deputy Director of the UNESCO International Centre for Higher Education Innovation (UNESCO-ICHEI), Qin YE, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary-General of the SUSTech Education Foundation, Siqi CHEN, Director of the Office of Party Affairs and Administration, Ling ZHANG, Director of the Office of Communication and Public Relations (CPR), also attended the event.