On the afternoon of September 9, the 2014 China-U.S. Young Leaders Symposium opened in Shanghai.With the strong support of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese and Shanghai Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, this symposium was jointly sponsored by the Overseas Chinese Charity Foundation of China, Institute for Global Cooperation and Understanding (formerly known as Institute for China-U.S. People-to-People Exchange) of Peking University, Shanghai Overseas Chinese Foundation, Shanghai International Cultural Association and 100,000 Strong Foundation, and hosted by the School of International Relations and Public Affairs of Fudan University. It has also received generous donations from Shanghai JuneYao Group and Hong Kong Gold Tai Yuen Group.
Carter delivers a keynote speech
In the context of today’s close and complex China-U.S. relations and the increasingly diversified exchanges, this symposium was held in Shanghai for the first time, focusing on the theme of global integration “Youth as Bridge: Learning, Experience and Connection”. Chinese and American students recommended by national key universities and some excellent students who participated in the previous China-U.S. Outstanding Youth Programs were invited to the symposium. Via the exchanges and sharing with experts and guests and based on national strategies, the goal of this symposium is to serve people-to-people exchange, train youth leaders, strengthen the exchanges and interactions between the Youth Homes of the two countries through non-governmental diplomacy. It also aims to explore an effective form and create a national platform to establish a new model of major power relations and promote long-term and in-depth cooperation between the youths of the two countries.
Li Daoyu, Tang Wensheng, Ni Shixiong communicate sincerely with Chinese and American young students
Xu Zhihong, Emeritus President of Peking University, and Wang Shenghong, Emeritus President of Fudan University, were the Chairmen of the symposium. The opening ceremony of the symposium was held in the Knowledge and Innovation Community, a place full of the aroma of youth. Qiao Wei, Vice Chairman of All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese and Board Chairman of Overseas Chinese Charity Foundation of China, delivered a welcome speech on behalf of the sponsor. Former US President Jimmy Carter was invited to the symposium and had a cordial meeting and group photos with guests, donors and students before the symposium. As a Nobel Peace Prize winner who had promoted the formal establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the United States, Carter inspired the Chinese and American students on the scene tremendously through his interpretation of the significant mission of contemporary youth in China-US relations. Among the guests invited to the opening ceremony were Shen Min, Vice Chairman of All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, and Party Secretary and Chairman of Shanghai Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, Minister Kong Tao, Liaison Department of All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, He Jining, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of Overseas Chinese Charity Foundation of China, Shen Weijuan, Chairman of Shanghai Overseas Chinese Foundation, Travis Tanner, Vice President of 100,000 Strong Foundation, Wang Junjin, Chairman of JuneYao Group, and Kou Man Yuen, President of Gold Tai Yuen Group.
The main forum after the opening ceremony was presided over by Professor Chen Zhimin, Director of Expert Committee of the Forum and Dean of the School of International and Public Affairs of Fudan University. Li Daoyu, former Chinese Ambassador to the US and Honorary Chairman of Shanghai Overseas Chinese Foundation, Tang Wensheng, former Vice Chairman of All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese and Honorary Chairman of Shanghai Overseas Chinese Foundation, and Professor Ni Shixiong, former Director of Center for American Studies, Fudan University, who have made outstanding contributions to the development of China-US relations, attended the forum and shared their own experiences with the Chinese and American youth attending the forum on the topic of “Learning, Experience and Connection of Chinese and American youth”, expounded their deep insights and answered the questions of the young students attending the forum, which inspired the audience. The forum provided the youth of the two countries with an opportunity for in-depth exchanges. Through learning the ideas of predecessors, listening to each other’s stories and exchanging thoughts with each other, the young students will form a more comprehensive understanding of China-US relations, have a clearer feeling of the mission, and build a bridge with friendship, laying the foundation for the future development of China-US relations.
Representatives of young Chinese and American students give speeches
The three-day forum consisted of the opening ceremony, the main forum, four sub-forums, special interactive courses with young experts and outstanding student representatives, the closing ceremony and the visit to Shanghai World Expo Park. The representatives attending the forum were 60 young elites from China and the US, who would communicate fully in a variety of activities. In the sub-forums, they would submit papers on “globalization and network generation”, “community building and public participation”, “economic development and technological life”, “environment and climate change” and other issues that currently draw international concern. They also sparked thoughts in their in-depth communication with young elites, such as Ding Yuanyuan, Network Communication Officer of World Bank, Founder of Dialogue Circle, Zheng Lei and Han Guofu, Associate Professors from Fudan University, Yu Wanli, Associate Professor from School of International Studies, Peking University and Deputy Executive Director of Institute for Global Cooperation and Understanding, Peking University, Xu Yan, Vice General Manager of Orient Securities Capital Investment Co., Ltd., Ji Xiaohua, CEO of Guokr.com and Founder of Songshuhui-Association of Science Communicators, Wang Fang, General Manager Assistant of Shanghai Zhixin Carbon Asset Management Co., Ltd., Wang Lin Research Fellow of Department of Environment, Fudan University, who is among the first batch of “Thousand Young Talents”.At the closing ceremony of the forum, five excellent papers would be awarded and the Excellent Performance Award for “Bridge of Chinese and American Youth” would be selected. Shanghai Zhixin Carbon Asset Management Co., Ltd. donated 20 tons of carbon emission to the organizing committee to neutralize the carbon consumption generated by the forum and help build a low-carbon, green and environmentally-friendly China-US Young Leaders Symposium. In addition, the forum specially arranged professional team training courses, high-end social dinner and post-Expo theme tour to create an all-round experience and interaction platform for young leaders.
The forum would issue the 2014 China-US Youth Shanghai Declaration to witness the friendship between the Chinese and American youth and the historical mission shared by them.
Link:http://www.cuppe.pku.edu.cn/jlhd/dwjl/230296.htm
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