On June 21st, the list of outstanding works for the Towards the Future 5th Socialist Core Values Animation Short Film Creation Support Activity was released. After expert evaluation, 35 works were selected from 100 shortlisted works as award-winning works. The work Desert Becomes Shade by the team led by Gu Chen and Shu Muqing from our college was selected as an Outstanding Work, and our university was awarded an Outstanding Organizing Unit.

The team led by Gu Chen and Shu Muqing conducted in-depth research on the control of desertification in the northwest, extracted real events, and adapted them into the animated short film Desert Becomes Shade. The film, themed around environmental protection, portrays the life of an ordinary young person in northwest China dedicated to combating desertification, making afforestation a career ideal, and showcases the spirit of young people striving for a better future.

The activity is co-sponsored by the State Administration of Radio and Television and the Animation and Digital Media Professional Teaching Steering Committee of the Ministry of Education. Its aim is to guide young animation talents to adhere to the creation orientation centered on the people. Through animation, it conveys the connotation and practical significance of the socialist core values while inheriting and promoting excellent Chinese traditional culture and national spirit. Since its inception in 2014, the Socialist Core Values Animation Short Film Creation Support Activity has been successfully held for five sessions, attracting a large number of young talents to actively participate in the creation and practice of mainstream animation. Using the unique artistic charm of animation, it achieves patriotic education, collectivism education, and socialist education.