 During
the summer of 2000, one thousand outstanding local secondary students
chaperoned by 50 teachers traveled in small groups to 14 different
cities in nine countries, namely Mainland China, Singapore, Germany,
United States, Japan, Canada, Britain, Australia, and Sweden.
The itinerary of the tours focused on advanced technology and environmental
protection—the two major global trends of the 21st century. Besides
seeing local tourist spots, the students visited sites such as sewage
treatment plants, recycling facilities, national parks, and wetlands.
Arrangements were also made for the students to visit organizations
that boast keen environmental awareness, like Canada's Husky Oil
and Beijing's Oriental Plaza. Talks on nature conservation by local
universities and environmental protection agencies were also part
of the itinerary.
 On
the technology side, students visited science museums, as well as
the satellite launching facility in Xian, and toured several high-tech
companies such as Sharp and Ericsson. Students also had a chance
to visit the campuses of top-tier universities such as Stanford,
Cambridge, Peking University, and Tsinghua University.
The Millennium Tour offered an opportunity for students to broaden
their horizons and to get to know people of different cultures and
backgrounds and stimulate their interest in learning. Students were
required to complete an assignment based on their travel experiences.
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