ENTHUSIASTIC applause filled the hall of South China Teachers' College in Guangzhou, marking the end of Green Hope Project, an environmental protection exchange programme between Hong Kong and Guangdong province.
Having heard the closing speeches, the nearly 120 senior secondary students from both places shook hands and left the camp.
However, for many of the Hong Kong students, it was a moment of mixed feelings - about the success of the whole endeavour. They wondered whether the environment message had been conveyed at all.
The scene in the empty hall seemed somehow symbolic. Despite all the talk about environmental protection, there were water bottles, cartons, soft drink cans and sundry litter strewn everywhere - hardly the venue in which to learn how to care for the environment.
The organisers said the five-day camp had boosted the participants' ''green'' knowledge.
''The camp is in its eighth year, and this was the biggest we've had, thanks to the support of Hong Kong's Friends of the Earth. We are looking forward to next year's event,'' said Mr Chen Guoqiang, deputy secretary of the Guangzhou Environmental Science Association.
Hong Kong student Liu Wai-yee was surprised to hear the programme had been running for that long, but regretted the campaign had still not taught participants ecology basics like not to leave litter lying around.