To strengthen the cooperation between Shanghai and all its international sister cities and promote youth exchanges in response to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Shanghai International Sister Cities Youth Camp, hosted by the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission and co-organized by International Education Association Shanghai, No. 2 High School of East China Normal University, Oriental Land and Shanghai Educational Center of Science & Art, has gone through 11 years since 2009. During 12 years, 1,111 teachers and students from 38 international sister cities (provinces, prefectures, counties, and dos) across 35 countries worldwide have participated the camp, studying Chinese language, experiencing Chinese culture in the company of volunteer students from local high schools in Shanghai, and concluding profound friendships. To ensure the continuity of youth exchanges during the pandemic, Shanghai International Sister Cities Youth Camp went virtual for the first time in 2021. And was hosted by Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, co-organized by the Education Bureau of Yangpu District, Yangpu Education International Exchange Service Center, International Education Association Shanghai, and No. 1 High School Affiliated to Tongji University. The online camp immersed young people from all over the world in refreshing experiences besides splendid highlights in previous offline sessions. The online interactions broke the mold of space and came to fruition.
As a platform for fueling connectivity and friendships of young students of international sister cities, Shanghai International Sister Cities Youth Camp will forge ahead towards its ambition—building a community with a shared future for mankind and an open, inclusive, clean, and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security, and common prosperity.
