On 21 May, the Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations and the Food and Agriculture Organization co-organized a virtual celebration of the first International Tea Day with the theme of "Tea for Sustainable Development". Ambassador Zhang Jun, Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations, Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, President of the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Permanent Representatives of over 20 countries, including Russian Federation, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Kenya, Bangladesh, Hungary, Lebanon and Netherlands, and nearly 200 delegates joined the celebration of this International Day.

In his remarks, President Bande said that the tea industry is related to the prioritized action on key areas of the 74th Session of the General Assembly, including poverty eradication, zero hunger, climate action and inclusion, and is also a main source of income and export revenues for many least developed countries. He called on the international community to jointly promote the sustainable development of the tea industry and help relevant countries implement the Sustainable Development Goals. Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China Mr.Han Changfu offered his congratulations and good wishes through a video message. He called upon all countries to put people first in developing the tea sector, advocate healthy ways to drink tea, and develop the tea sector through opening-up.

In his opening remarks, Ambassador Zhang Jun said that the 74th Session of the General Assembly adopted a resolution that designated May 21st as the International Tea Day, which fully affirmed the great value of tea to human society, economy and culture and provided a fresh opportunity for deepening cooperation in the field of tea. President Xi Jinping sent a letter expressing warm congratulations on a series of activities marking the first International Tea Day and said that China is willing to work with all sides to nurture the sustained and healthy development of the global tea industry, deepen cultural exchange on tea, and allow more people to relish lives accompanied by tea.

Ambassador Zhang pointed out that tea is a symbol of harmony between man and nature. As a gift of nature, tea is good for health and enriches human life. Meanwhile, through tea planting, production and operation, people nourish and give back to nature. This cycle of man and nature is a vivid testament to the philosophy of "Unity of Heaven and Man". Tea is an important pillar of human economic activities, and has been an economic crop that nurtured generation after generation. Tea is also a main source of income for many households and has created tremendous job opportunities for many countries and people.

Ambassador Zhang emphasized that the inception of International Tea Day has given tea new life and vitality. With the shared love for tea, people of all countries could work together to build a better and more harmonious world. Tea is a good partner in our endeavor to promote the harmonious coexistence between man and nature and achieve green development. Tea is a good business that can help more farmers shake off poverty and attain the SDGs, as lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets. Tea is a catalyst of friendship that can bring people closer together, promote trade and build an interconnected world. Tea can also help us tackle the challenges posed by the COVID-19, maintain stable and unimpeded industrial and supply chains, and facilitate the recovery of world economy.

Ambassador Zhang also called for using this special period to invite each other from distance to drink tea together, think together, and explore together the future for multilateralism and humanity so as to turn thinking into action and make new contributions to a better future shared by all.

The Permanent Representatives of the Russian Federation, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Kenya, Bangladesh, Hungary and Lebanon, the Charge D'affaire of Argentina, and the Deputy Permanent Representatives of Turkey made interventions and said that tea, originated in China, has become the world's most popular drink second only to water. Drinking tea has also become a traditional cultural heritage in many countries. Tea industry is an important source of income for many developing countries. The sustainable development of tea industry has important effect on economic development and implementation of the SDGs. Given the negative impact of COVID-19 on tea industry, the international community should strengthen solidarity to help tea industry and its practitioners get through the difficulties.

Director General of the FAO Mr. Qu Dongyu delivered closing remarks. He extended congratulations on the full success of the virtual celebration and said that the culture of drinking tea enjoys a long history and the tea industry provides livelihood for millions in rural areas. He expressed the hope that all parties could join hands to promote the sustainable development of tea industry.

During the celebration, China presented the traditional celadon, purple clay teapots and various varieties of tea. Short videos were played to show the sustainable development of tea industry in China. Audiences could see the unique features of the six major varieties of tea in China, the journey of a tea leaf, the whole process of picking and making tea, and the role of tea in increasing household incomes and reducing poverty. The idea of "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" was emphasized. Stories were told about how Chinese local governments and practitioners of tea industry worked to fight COVID-19, including selling tea via e-commerce and promoting the recovery of tea sector. The participants showed great interest in the time-honored Chinese tea culture, saying that these true stories provide a useful reference for other countries, especially developing countries. The Russian Federation, Nepal and Kenya also showed, via video, their own tea-drinking customs and their fight against the COVID-19.

Due to the impact of COVID-19 on New York and the continuation of remote working of UN staff, the first International Tea Day was celebrated online. It was a heart-warming and informative event and lasted nearly two hours. Many ambassadors posted photos and videos on social media afterwards, expressing high appreciation of the celebration.