The Ultra Gobi officially launched its 20th edition on Monday in Dunhuang, Gansu Province (China), consolidating its status as one of the most distinctive endurance events on the international calendar. More than 5,000 participants, grouped into 115 teams, gathered in the historic gateway of the Silk Road to embark on a new desert journey.
The opening ceremony featured a Dunhuang dance performance that evoked the cultural heritage of the Silk Road and the legendary journey of Xuanzang. Each team took to the stage with enthusiasm and pride, once again highlighting the core values of Ultra Gobi over two decades: youth, collective spirit and social responsibility.
One of the most notable moments came with the entrance of 19 veteran participants, each carrying the flags of previous editions. This symbolic gesture paid tribute to the event’s 20-year history, marked by physical endurance, camaraderie and cultural exchange.
Solidarity and environmental commitment
The ceremony was also shaped by the event’s social dimension. The Beijing Gobi Friends Public Welfare Foundation, made up of long-time volunteers and charity partners, once again underscored the philanthropic ethos of the race under the motto: “Public good requires personal action; a better future is built by our own hands.”
In his address, this year’s charity team captain, Kuang Hong, urged participants to protect the fragile desert ecosystem through environmental responsibility, uphold fairness as the guiding principle of competition, foster friendships within the Gobi community and embrace sustainability as a shared mission.
The symbol of sporting continuity
Another solemn moment came when the trophy from last year’s 121-kilometer EMBA Group championship was escorted into the venue by representatives of the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business and received by Qu Xiangdong, Chairman of Ultra Gobi, on behalf of the organizing committee, under the gaze of thousands of runners.
Qu Xiangdong then delivered an opening speech titled “Shining Youth with Purpose, Embarking on a New Journey”, reaffirming the social mission of the event: “Ultra Gobi stands for sincere communication and shared cultural progress.”
China’s policies against desertification
The message delivered by Kuang Hong aligns with broader environmental policies implemented in China to combat desertification. Since 1978, the country has promoted the so-called Great Green Wall —the Three-North Shelterbelt Program—, consisting of vast forest belts designed to halt the expansion of the Gobi Desert and stabilize soils.
In recent years, this strategy has been complemented by the use of solar panel installations in arid zones, whose shade reduces soil evaporation and encourages vegetation recovery. Additional reforestation projects, such as the grain-for-green program, incentivize the conversion of farmland into forest, while grazing restrictions in vulnerable regions and advanced ecological monitoring systems aim to further strengthen ecosystem sustainability.
These measures provide context for the appeal made during the Ultra Gobi opening ceremony, where protecting the desert ecosystem was presented not only as an individual responsibility for runners, but also as part of a nationwide conservation strategy.
