On September 20, marking World Cleanup Day, 19 dedicated volunteers from Nansha District's international community in Guangzhou gathered along the Jiaomen River for a cleanup walk, undeterred by the lingering effects of Typhoon Mitag.
 

Volunteers from Nansha international community removed litter along Jiaomen River course, Guangzhou, Sept. 20.
 

Just a day earlier (September 19), Typhoon Mitag, the 17th typhoon of the year, made landfall in Guangdong province. Despite the windy and wet conditions, the volunteers, organized by Huan Xi Volunteer—a local volunteer organization—persisted with their environmental effort, walking 6.35 kilometers in 1 hour and 51 minutes under the riverside trees.
 

World Cleanup Day is a global civic movement held annually on the third Saturday of Sept, falling on Sept. 20 this year.
 

Their hard work resulted in the collection of 11.93 jin (approximately 5.97 kilograms) of urban plastic waste along the banks of the Jiaomen River.
 

On World Cleanup Day, Nansha international volunteers contributed to the protection of Pearl River outlet.
 

The Jiaomen River, one of the eight major outlets of the Pearl River, has undergone significant ecological restoration in recent years, transforming from a polluted waterway into a vibrant urban living waterway. In 2024, it was recognized as one of Guangzhou's first exemplary "Beautiful Rivers and Lakes."
 

Nansha District in Guangzhou is home to a diverse international community, with many expatriates living and working in the area.
 

After warming up with environmental protection knowledge, volunteers set off for beach cleaning hike along the river.
 

The Jiaomen River International Neighborhood in Nansha, for instance, spans less than 2 square kilometers but has attracted dozens of expatriates who have put down roots locally. This has also given rise to various volunteer and community-led groups in the region that regularly organize cultural, environmental, and social activities, fostering a strong sense of global camaraderie and civic responsibility.
 

9-year-old Russian-Chinese mixed race Slava from Jiaomen River International Community contributed to clean-up.

Reporter | Huang Xinyi

Photo | Provided to South

Editor | Hu Nan, James Campion, Shen He