Lang Lang Urges Chinese Travelers to ‘Say No to Ivory’ in New PSA

Lang Lang, the world’s most famous classical pianist performing today, has stepped up to fight the global ivory trade in a stirring new public service announcement (PSA) to be distributed throughout his native China, the world’s largest market for ivory. 

As part of the Ivory Free campaign sponsored by African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), WildAid and Save the Elephants, Lang Lang’s PSA aims to educate the public on the toll that both legal and illegal ivory sales are taking on Africa’s elephants: An estimated 33,000 are poached annually.

“While African governments and citizens must do their part to prevent the poaching of African elephants, those in Asia can have just as much of a positive impact on this crisis by simply not buying ivory,” says Dr. Patrick Bergin, CEO of African Wildlife Foundation. “The situation on the African continent is dire enough that if Chinese citizens do not make the choice against ivory consumption, it could mean the eventual extinction of Africa’s elephants.”

On Thursday, Lang Lang appeared with Beijing Capital International Airport officials to launch an awareness campaign, urging citizens traveling abroad not to bring ivory back into China, which in February implemented a one-year ban on carved ivory imports. 

“I hope all passengers know the facts, and that bringing ivory home will not only escalate the poaching crisis and devastate the ecological balance, but also will break laws and regulations,” Lang Lang said. “Please support our Customs and say ‘no’ to ivory.”  

At the Thursday event, customs officials announced that they had confiscated over 1 ton of ivory products in 258 smuggling cases over the past year. Most of the seized ivory had been smuggled in from African nations including Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Angola and South Africa. 

The new PSA featuring Lang Lang’s performance of Beethoven’s Appasionata Sonata will be distributed via WildAid’s Chinese media partners, who donate nearly $200 million (USD) in annual pro bono media placement. The PSA also features the work of award-winning photographer Nick Brandt, founder of Big Life Foundation, an organization that AWF incidentally supports in Kenya.

During a symbolic ivory crush of 662 kgs in Beijing Friday, China’s State Forestry Administration indicated it plans to eventually phase out the ivory trade altogether, though no timeline was given. As demonstrated in two recent surveys commissioned by African Wildlife Foundation, WildAid and Save the Elephants, a strong majority of citizens in mainland China and Hong Kong support a ban on ivory.

Meanwhile, major public awareness campaigns by AWF, WildAid and Save The Elephants have helped to increase mainland Chinese consumer awareness of the ivory trade’s devastating impact. 

“We’re seeing growing effort and resolve in the part of the Chinese government on this issue. A total ban on ivory sales would be the next logical step for China’s stepped-up efforts, and would be the greatest single measure to reduce poaching in Africa," said WildAid CEO Peter Knights.

Lang Lang joins Ivory Free campaign ambassadors including Yao Ming, The Duke of Cambridge (Prince William), David Beckham and Chinese actress Li Bingbing on educating the public about the ivory trade.