Bridging cultures: China, LAC strengthen ties through youth exchange

As night falls, Mingsha Mountain in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province, illuminates with dazzling lights, its slopes crowded with people. Over 40 young leaders from China and Latin America entered the desert to experience a spectacular open-air concert under a starry sky.

"This is a one-of-a-kind experience, sitting in the desert, soaking in music and the atmosphere. It transcends mere music. It's a cultural moment," said Santiago Acosta, a Chilean participant, his face radiating excitement after experiencing his first desert concert.

This memorable scene took place during the 2024 "Bridge of the Future" China-Latin American Young Leaders Training Campus, an event organized by the All-China Youth Federation.

For four days in Dunhuang, young representatives from Latin America and the Caribbean crossed mountains, seas and time zones to revisit the Silk Road, immerse themselves in a civilization spanning millennia, explore Chinese culture and engage in cultural exchanges.

Since its inception in 2015, the "Bridge of the Future" program has held eight sessions, creating a structured platform to foster friendship and collaboration among youth from China and Latin America.

In September 2024, the China-LAC Youth Development Forum was held in Dunhuang. Nearly 70 participants, including youths from Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries, Chinese youth scholars and entrepreneurs, gathered to discuss mutual learning among civilizations and common development.

Leaders of youth organizations and cultural representatives from China, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Honduras, Venezuela and other countries exchanged their views on cultural heritage protection, education on cultural preservation and youth innovation and employment during the event.

Hu Baijing, vice president of the All-China Youth Federation, remarked in a speech that while China and Latin American countries are geographically distant, their history of cultural exchanges and friendship spans centuries. Youth, with their ambition and open-mindedness, are the most dynamic drivers of civilizational dialogue.

Young people across nations should actively promote the diversity of world civilizations, uphold shared human values and contribute to the next decade of building a shared future for China and Latin America, Hu emphasized.

A Peruvian youth representative highlighted the comprehensive development of China-Latin America relations in recent years and emphasized the forum as a vital platform for dialogue and collaboration. "The youth of both sides should utilize their wisdom, strengthen communication, and deepen cooperation to show the world a bright future for China-Latin America development," he said.

Bridging Continents

Under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China has fostered closer connections with Latin American countries and laid a solid foundation for enduring friendship.

Eduardo Regalado, a senior researcher at the International Policy Research Center of Cuba, noted that the BRI is making steady progress in Latin America, benefiting local people. He emphasized how increased cultural interactions and mutual understanding are advancing the development of China-Latin America relations.

The cooperative efforts between China and Latin America under the BRI framework are becoming increasingly dynamic, yielding fruitful results across diverse fields and making progress toward building a China-LAC community with a shared future.

China has established approximately 180 sister city partnerships with 17 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, and educational exchanges have continued to expand in scale and diversity. Platforms for cultural interaction have grown increasingly specialized and varied.

In recent years, the platforms for people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and Latin America have diversified, from the China-Latin America Cultural Exchange Year and the Latin American and Caribbean Art Season to the "Bridge of the Future" China-Latin American Young Leaders Training Campus.

As a Latin American proverb says, "A real friend is someone who is able to touch your heart from the other side of the world." Both China and Latin American countries, as part of the Global South, remain committed to maintaining world peace and promoting common development.