Ronald Sakolsky, a retired American teacher who once contributed to China's desertification control efforts, arrived in Ordos in north China on Sunday for a visit intended to revive a friendship with the Chinese people that first took root more than two decades ago.
The 69-year-old will spend part of his stay planting trees alongside his friend Yin Yuzhen, a national model worker who has spent the last 40 years transforming the barren Maowusu (Mu Us) Sandy Land into a thriving forest.
Their story began in 1999, when Sakolsky taught English at a school in central China's Henan Province under a teachers' exchange program between the two countries. After watching a television news report featuring Yin's tireless work, he was deeply moved and raised 5,000 U.S. dollars to help Yin and her husband in their afforestation efforts against desertification.
Months later, at the invitation of local officials, Sakolsky traveled to the desert to meet Yin in person.
Yin kept one dollar as a souvenir and bought 50,000 saplings with the rest.
After that brief visit in Mu Us Desert , the two lost touch, their transcontinental friendship fading with time.
That changed earlier this year, when a public campaign across Chinese social media successfully tracked him down in the United States. The renewed connection quickly led to this week's emotional reunion.
Today, the saplings purchased with Sakolsky's donation have grown into a lush woodland. And the Mu Us Desert, once a sprawling expanse of sand, now stands as the world's largest ecological restoration success story.
Speaking upon his arrival, Sakolsky said his bond with China remains an indelible part of his life, and he's heartened that his story has encouraged more people to join environmental efforts.
"The important thing is many people have seen this story and now they can also help to make China beautiful. I learned this afternoon that the desert, the Mu Us Desert, is the biggest decertification in the world," said Sakolsky.
Invited by the China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE), Sakolsky's itinerary from Aug 23 to Sept 1 will also include China-U.S. teacher exchange events, a visit to Henan to meet with teachers and students at the school where he worked, a visit to the press briefing hall of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and visits to historical and cultural landmarks.
Retired US teacher begins China visit to renew friendship forged in desert taming
