BRIDGE - Shan Shui Projects

"The Belt and Road" Sino-Togo Ecological Project
🏛️ National Foreign Expert Program | 国家外国专家项目

B.R.I.D.G.E.

Belt and Road Initiative for Development & Green Engagement

2,000 trees on 2 hectare

"一带一路"中多生态环境艺术植树项目和文化可持续性发展双倡议"

Sino-Togo Ecological Art & Sustainable Development Initiative

🌱 Plant Your Tree Now

PROJECT OVERVIEW

"The Belt and Road" Sino Togo (China and Togo) Ecological Environment Art Tree Planting Project and Cultural Sustainable Development Double Initiative

This project presents an opportunity to engage in international initiatives focused on environmental sustainability, poverty eradication, and cultural heritage enrichment through dual interventions in Togo and Gansu, China.

Agroforestry, permaculture, and sustainable planting practices

Each tree has a unique digital identity via QR codes

Twin tree system connecting Togo and Gansu

Art and sustainability integration

Artist residencies as cultural exchange hubs

Project Leader: Giacomo Bruni

Project Main Poster

VOLUNTEER

Volunteer Participation

Join Our Tree-Planting Mission

🌱 Plant Your Tree Now

The tree-planting project in Togo welcomes international volunteers who wish to make a tangible contribution to reforestation and sustainable community development. Volunteers will have the opportunity to experience cultural exchange, ecological work, and daily life in close contact with nature and the local population.

Location

🇹🇬 Togo : Kpélé Toutou Village

Coordinates: 7.1006180988013785, 0.7353465641112049

Located in the Plateau Region of Togo, near Kpalimé, Kpélé Toutou lies in one of the country's greenest and most welcoming areas, surrounded by waterfalls, tropical forests, and rural communities.

Minimum stay

2 weeks (with the possibility of extension depending on interest and availability)

Main activities

Tree planting and maintenance work (preparing soil, planting, watering, and caring for the trees): 4 days per week

Educational and community activities: creative workshops, environmental awareness lessons, and cultural exchanges in local schools

Free weekends (Saturday and Sunday): time for rest or for exploring the region's natural and cultural attractions

Free time activities

During weekends, volunteers can organize individual or group excursions to explore the surrounding highland region, such as

Womé and Tomegbe waterfalls

Kloto Forest and the ecotourism trails around Kpalimé

Traditional craft villages such as Kuma and Kpimé, known for weaving and pottery

Mount Agou, the highest peak in Togo

Local markets and women's cooperatives producing cocoa, coffee, and handmade soap

Those who wish to experience local life more deeply may also choose to spend one or more days in a homestay with local families, sharing meals, traditions, and daily routines.

Contribution to expenses

The participation fee is 12,000 CFA per day (approximately 20 USD / 18 EUR), which covers accommodation, meals, and basic logistics. At the current stage, due to the absence of external funding, it is not possible to provide free accommodation or meals. However, this contribution directly supports the local economy, helping host families and encouraging the development of a self-sustaining community.

Accommodation

Volunteers will stay in Kpélé Toutou Village, in simple but welcoming facilities. Rooms are shared, and meals are prepared with fresh local ingredients. The setting is communal and friendly, offering a genuine cultural immersion.

Purpose of the experience

The volunteer program is not only about physical work — it is a cultural and human exchange. Through collaboration, teaching, and participation in the planting project, volunteers become part of a broader vision of environmental and social regeneration, helping to build a sustainable community grounded in solidarity and respect for nature.

ARTIST RESIDENCY

Art Meets Sustainability

Artists are particularly welcome to join the project. Those who wish may engage in artistic exchange activities, creating artworks and site-specific installations to be permanently exhibited in the village and within the plantation. Artists can also contribute to the foundation of an artist residency, aimed at fostering collaboration between local and international creators. This residency will serve as a future cultural and economic center, supporting both the art community and the sustainable development of the area.

What Artists Can Do

Create land art and ecological art installations
Collaborate with local artists and craftspeople
Design structures that support tree growth
Participate in community art workshops
Develop site-specific works for permanent exhibition

Benefits

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

Learning Through Nature

Participate in workshops, lectures, and environmental education initiatives that bridge art, ecology, and sustainable development.

Programs Include

Environmental education through art workshops
Creative workshops for local schools
Cultural exchange activities
Lectures on sustainability and art at Huaqiao University
Collaborative learning between international and local communities

Topics Covered

LOCATION & MAP SECTION

🇹🇬 Togo : Kpélé Toutou Village

Coordinates: 7.1006180988013785, 0.7353465641112049

Promote a bond of solidarity and co-evolution

🇨🇳 China : Gansu Province, Hexi Corridor

Quanzhou Campus No.269 Chenghua North Rd. Quanzhou, Fujian, China 362021

Partner location for twin tree planting and cultural exchange

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

Foundation

Planting 2,000 trees on 2 hectares in Togo and Gansu
Create a self-sustaining community
Fundraising through art exhibitions and environmental education
Donation certificate for each tree
Organize art exhibitions and workshops

Expansion

Transform the site into a creative/artistic space
Offer residencies for international artists
Create collaboration space between local and international artists
Include artistic and social activities with the local community
Develop eco-tourism platform

WHAT WE NEED

To make this project successful, we need:

Laptop

Good quality camera

Small photocopier machine (printing & scanning)

Mobile wifi modem

These equipment will support our project headquarters and help us better document and manage the tree planting initiative.

ECO-TOURISM & LOCAL CULTURE

ECO-TOURISM
&
LOCAL CULTURE

Explore the Heart of Togo

During your visit or residency, engage in eco-tourism experiences

• Explore waterfalls, artisan centers, the Batsar caves, and the Tata Somba castles of Tamberma
• Visit the wildlife park in Kara
• Meet and collaborate with local craftspeople
• Get in touch with the community in meaningful, respectful ways

HOW IT WORKS

(TWIN TREE SYSTEM)

Every tree planted has a story

BUDGET & FUNDRAISING

Cost per Tree: 200 RMB

❶ Tree purchase: 70 RMB
❷ Labor: 60 RMB
❸ Land: 40 RMB
❹ Infrastructure: 30 RMB

Total Fundraising Target: 400,000 RMB (2,000 trees)

Total Fundraising Target
400,000 RMB (2,000 trees)

How to Support

Main activities

Purchase artwork
(200 RMB = 1 tree)

Workshop
participation fees

Direct
donations

Sponsor a tree
with certificate

🌱 Plant Your Tree Now

OUR TEAM

Project Leader

Giacomo Bruni

Professor at School of Fine Arts, Huaqiao University
Founder of Shanshui Projects
Vice-president of ASO International Association in Togo

Komi Bassah

President, ASO International Association in Togo
International tour guide and environmental activist

Zuha Rasheed
(Maldives)

Multidisciplinary artist and teacher
Master's student in Chinese painting, China Academy of Art

Chen Rongxin

Teacher at Huaqiao University
Director of Contemporary Art Research Center

Aurora Vivenzio (Italy)

Doctoral candidate at China Academy of Art
Art history lecturer

Liu Qian

Professor at the School of Journalism and Communication Jinan University
Director of the International Communication Research Center, Master's Supervisor
Visiting Scholar at Albany State University of New York

Zhang Chenzhi

graduated with a bachelor's and master's degree from the Central Academy of Fine Arts
and currently teach at the School of Fine Arts, Huaqiao University.

Yao Zhihui

graduated with a bachelor's degree in Visual Communication Design from the School of Arts at Xiamen University
obtained a master's degree in Animation Design from the Graduate School of Tokyo University.

Yun Zhili

graduated with a bachelor's degree from Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, a master's degree from Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts
and a PhD in Fine Arts from Macau University of Science and Technology

Cai Liang

a specially appointed painter at the Cross Strait and Four Regions Cultural Exchange Center of Jinan University.
Member of Guangdong Youth Artists Association. Founder of Tu Hua Art Education.