FJ hosts Northeast Youth Camp on Sustainable Development

The Northeast Youth Camp on Sustainable Development (Fujian) wrapped up earlier this month. The China Soong Ching Ling Foundation and the SK Group hosted the camp. Event organizers included the Training and Exchange Center of China Soong Ching Ling Foundation and Xiamen Daily.

The weeklong event included stops in Xiamen, Mount Wuyi and Fuzhou. The camp’s 36 participants hailed from 12 countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Nepal, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Tajikistan, Thailand and Turkey.

Event organizers said that the camp was designed to highlight Fujian’s technological development and to promote communication and mutual learning through the exchange of different cultures.

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Participants visited the offices of Meitu, the Fujian Newland Science and Technology Group and Unisound. They also toured Changle Digital Town and Haicang Bio Bay, among other sites.

Organizers described the tour as a window into the advanced development of sci-tech in Fujian, a pilot province in digital innovation. The tour included demonstrations of multimedia and digital video technology.
In Fuzhou, participants donned VR glasses to explored cloud tourism. “We can literally go anywhere in the world through these glasses,” said Davlatzoda Davlat from Tajikistan. “We could even see sperm whales even though we don’t know anything about scuba diving, he added. “It is my first time to try this technology.”

A VR roller coaster proved to be particularly popular. Guzel Fatih from Turkey shouted and threw up his hands while in a rumble seat during the virtual roller coaster ride. “This is so great and thrilling. I hope we introduce this technology to our country.”

Participant Kanta Araki hailed from Sasebo, Japan. “I hadn’t expected that Fujian could have developed so quickly,” said Mr. Araki. “Science and technology know no boundaries,” he added. “We should improve our innovative skills and use them to change our lives.”

The group tour included Gulangyu’s Organ Museum. “This is the first time for me to see a pipe organ,” said Kanita Hamzic from Bosnia and Herzegovina. “We enjoyed the organist’s rendition of the theme song of Mission Impossible, it was an unforgettable experience.”

At Xiamen’s Huihe Stone Culture Park, participants made their own artwork based on stone-shadow carving techniques.
In Fuzhou, they paid visits to Three Lanes and Seven Valleys and the Fuzhou Mawei Shipbuilding Cultural Site Group, which is known as the cradle of the modern Chinese navy.

At Mount Wuyi, attendees visited the Wuyi Academy of Classical Learning (Zhuxiyuan) and the Yanzike Ecological Tea Garden. They took in a performance of Impression Da Hong Pao, which mixes real-world performances with VR technologies. “I’ve never seen a show as spectacular as this one,” said Erwin Guile from the Philippines. “This is fabulous.”
Attendees also included Sitsangkhom Sisaketh, Deputy Director-General of ASEAN Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Lao PDR. “China has great potential and cultural influence over the world,” said Mr. Sisaketh. “We see Chinese elements around the world and Chinese products in Laos, Africa and Europe,” he added. “In the future we should deepen ties and cooperation among Asean countries and especially between Laos and China.”

Other guests included Kanta Araki, who hails from Sasebo, Japan. “Xiamen and Sasebo have been sister cities for 40 years,” said Mr. Araki. “In our city we even have a Xiamen Friendship Park. I love Xiamen and I’ll go for a walk in the park after I return to Sasebo whenever I miss Xiamen.”

Yunitan Oktavia from Surabaya, Indonesia, also comes from one of Xiamen’s sister cities. “My grandparents are from here and my family is strong in its cultural traditions,” noted Ms. Oktavia. “This trip helped me realize that no matter where I go and no matter where I come from, China will always feel like home.”

Michael Dave’s E. Almocera from the Philippines noted that Xiamen, Mount Wuyi and Fuzhou have all developed in accordance with nature and societal needs. He added that they developed their high-tech industries while ensuring environmental protection. He said that the region is promoting sustainable development.