Shahbaz Khan, director of the UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia, highlighted the close link between people and nature demonstrated in Dongying, East China's Shandong province.

He said that the Yellow River Delta region is a key stopover for migratory birds and a model for habitat conservation for future generations.

Khan praised the cultural aspects of the event and efforts to cultivate ecological awareness among the next generation, calling the occasion highly significant.

He made the remarks in an interview with China Daily Website during the third Yellow River Estuary International Birdwatching Season in Dongying on Nov 15.