The Women's Federation of Changzhou City, in East China's Jiangsu Province, selects 100 women volunteers as river chiefs in May 2019. [Changzhou Women's Federation]

The activity of Looking for the Most Beautiful River and Lake Guardians was initiated recently, according to the All-China Women's Federation.

The activity is to further implement the instructions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and State Council on promoting a system of river and lake chiefs. It aims to publicize the stories of river and lake chiefs at grassroots level, workers and volunteers of managing and protecting rivers and lakes, and raise public awareness of river and lake protection. 

The activity was organized by the ACWF, the Ministry of Water Resources (MWR) and the All-China Federation of Trade Unions.

According to an official of the MWR, a total of 1.2 million river and lake chiefs at township and village levels and river inspectors and rangers were appointed across the country after the system of river and lake chiefs was implemented in an all-round way. Many women and entrepreneurs volunteered to become unofficial river and lake chiefs, and young volunteers also actively participated in protecting and managing rivers and lakes. They have become important force in guarding rivers and lakes.

The activity will last for six months and has three stages — recommendation, voting and publicity. The recipients of the honorary titles of the most beautiful river and lake guardians will be selected
from the river and lake chiefs at township and village levels, river inspectors and rangers, unofficial river and lake chiefs and volunteers around the country.

It will combine online public voting with final assessments by panels of experts to rank different candidates. The categories of the titles include the top 10 most beautiful river and lake 
guardians, the most beautiful female river and lake guardians, the most beautiful young river and lake guardians, and the most beautiful unofficial river and lake guardians.

Volunteers pick up rubbish along the river bank. [Chongqing Women's Federation]

(Source: people.cn/Translated and edited by Women of China)