The "Belt and Road" Youth Carnival concluded successfully on December 20 at the Xiangmi Flower Wonderland in Shenzhen. Hosted by the Foreign Affairs Office of Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government and organized by the Shenzhen Foundation for International Exchange and Cooperation (SFIEC), the event brought together more than 400 participants from 25 countries and regions, including Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Mongolia, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Yemen, Côte d’Ivoire and Morocco.
International students, young professionals, representatives from enterprises and social organizations, as well as local residents gathered to celebrate cultural diversity and youth exchange. Through food, performances and creative expression, participants shared cultures, built friendships and experienced the dynamic spirit of Shenzhen, vividly demonstrating people-to-people connectivity along the Belt and Road Initiative and injecting youthful momentum into the vision of a shared future for humanity.
One of the highlights of the carnival was the Silk Road Market, which transformed the venue into a vibrant cultural corridor. Visitors embarked on a cross-border culinary journey, sampling Turkmen pilaf, Kazakh fermented mare’s milk and Serbian pancakes, while traditional Chinese treats such as Chaoshan desserts, Chinese tea beverages and glutinous rice balls evoked warmth and a sense of home. The market allowed cultures to be experienced through everyday life, creating moments of resonance amid lively interactions.
Cultural exhibitions and hands-on activities further enriched the experience. Traditional costumes from Morocco and Pakistan, interactive Chinese language games,Nepalese thangka paintings, Serbian aromatherapy products, Chinese agarwood carving and leather craftsmanship showcased diverse cultural expressions and artisanal heritage. Creative products including Lhoba ethnic costumes and lion dance-themed cultural merchandise from Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen (HITSZ), reflected the fusion of tradition and innovation. Public welfare booths hosted by organizations such as the Mangrove Conservation Foundation, One Earth Natural Foundation and the Shenzhen Women and Children's Development Foundation promoted environmental protection and social care, adding depth and warmth to the festive atmosphere.
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Youth performances served as another focal point of the event, offering a vivid stage for cultural exchange and mutual learning. Students from HITSZ presented Global Tapestry of Traditions, a fashion showcase featuring traditional costumes from nine countries, with each outfit reflecting distinct histories, aesthetics and cultural wisdom. International students from the National Language Promotion Base at Shenzhen University recited Su Shi’s classical poem “How long will the full moon appear ?” in fluent Mandarin, demonstrating the achievements of Chinese language learning and cross-cultural understanding fostered through the Belt and Road framework.
The Shenzhen University International Choir premiered original songs City of Miracles and Together as One, paying tribute to the 45th anniversary of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone.Chen-style Tai Chi performed by Tianyi Tai Chi Academy highlighted the elegance and philosophy of traditional Chinese culture, while the charity band Zifeiyu X-Band delivered Under A Vast Sky, promoting inclusivity and social integration through music. A four-part vocal performance of Golden by the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, conveyed hope, collaboration and shared aspirations, allowing cultural exchange to shine vividly on stage.
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Another key highlight of the carnival was the award ceremony of the 4th “Just Shenzhen Just Young” Video Contest, held alongside the event. Awards were presented by Wang Ting, professor at Shenzhen University and former CCTV host, and Xie Yifei, chief reporter at Guangdong Radio and Television. Award-winning videos captured the rhythm of Shenzhen from day to night, showcasing the city’s innovation, vitality and human warmth through creative storytelling.
Liu Zihan, representative of the Gold Award-winning team from Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, shared her creative journey, noting that hiking and filming enabled her to rediscover Shenzhen’s mountains and coastline. She described nature as both an integral part of local daily life and a universal language connecting people from different cultural backgrounds. Nearly 100 entries in this year’s contest explored themes such as technological innovation, ecological sustainability, everyday life and personal dreams, presenting a multidimensional image of Shenzhen as an open, innovative and welcoming international city.
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Personal stories from participants further embodied the spirit of youth exchange. Juan David Guerra, an Ecuadorian student at HITSZ, shared how his experiences living in multiple Chinese cities led him to Shenzhen, drawn by its inclusive environment and remarkable pace of innovation. He expressed his hope to contribute to building a knowledge bridge between China and Ecuador. Dennieque Elissa Jackson, a student from Jamaica at Maple Leaf International Academy–Shenzhen, spoke about her journey of learning Chinese and her aspiration to one day tell China’s stories to the world in Mandarin, fostering understanding and friendship across cultures.
The carnival was co-organized with the support of the Futian District Foreign Affairs Bureau, Xiangmihu Subdistrict Office, and institutions including Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, Southern University of Science and Technology, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School，Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen Polytechnic University, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangdong Satellite TV and Silk Road Story. Public welfare partners such as the National Base for the Promotion of Chinese Language and Characters (Shenzhen University), China Maple Leaf Educational Systems Limited, Shenzhen Yize Investment Co., Ltd., and NowShenzhen provided strong support throughout the event.
From shared experiences at the Silk Road Market to joint performances on stage, the Belt and Road Youth Carnival built a dynamic platform for young people from Belt and Road countries to connect and collaborate, while highlighting Shenzhen’s youthful energy and inclusive character.
Looking ahead, SFIEC will continue to promote cross-cultural exchange, encouraging young people to share city stories through creativity and passion, and allowing people-to-people connectivity to flourish through sustained youth engagement.
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About Us
Founded in December 2014, SFIEC is the first non-public foundation in China committed to promoting international exchange and cooperation and facilitating the city’s internationalization. The mission of SFIEC is to establish platforms for international exchange and cooperation, facilitate the innovation and internationalization of Shenzhen, and engage different social entities in global governance.
Since its establishment, the foundation has focused on civil international exchange and cooperation, creating a number of creative and influential independent brand sections such as the "Shenzhen x Lancang-Mekong +", the "CityPlus" platform, the “Value Plus” Platform, the "Shentlemen" Series, Empower Global Enterprises, and Engagement in Partners Public Projects. It has facilitated more than 1000 international exchange and cooperation activities, covering 8 major fields including Economy, Technology, Education, Culture, Arts, Environmental Protection, Sister Cities, Health and Wellness. Its external exchange footprint covers 6 continents, 38 countries, and more than 100 cities.
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