CHENGDU, CHINA - 1 August 2024 - From July 20th to July 26th, a delegation of 30 students and teachers from renowned high schools and universities across the United States visited Chengdu, Dujiangyan, and the Sanxingdui Museum in Guanghan, Sichuan.
The American student delegation was invited by Southwest Jiaotong University to engage in an 18-day study tour centered around “Chinese Cultural Heritage and Sustainability” in southwest China.
During this visit, the students explored topics such as “Maglev and Future Transportation,“ “Dujiangyan and Ecological Irrigation Project,“ “Pandas and Environmental Protection,“ “Sanxingdui and the Ancient Shu Civilization,“ “Traditional Folk Houses and Custom” “Traditional Costume and Sichuan Opera,“ “River Management and Urban Development ,“ and etc. They engaged in face-to-face discussions with experts in maglev technology, hydrology, panda conservation, artifact restoration, archaeology, residential landscape and urban planning architecture, Sichuan opera, and intangible cultural heritage.
On July 26th, Chinese and American students collaborated on an art project themed “Pandas and Friends,“ expressing their shared commitment to panda conservation and sustainability through artistic creation. The American students,together with volunteers from Southwest Jiaotong University and high school students from Wanhui Academy Dujiangyan, produced nearly 30 prints and jointly created a collaborative art work. This artwork was exhibited at the Chengdu Art Museum on the same day. At the opening ceremony, Xiao Feige, the Deputy Director of the Chengdu Art Museum, Dr. John Flower, the Founder of China Folk House in the USA, and Associate Professor Liu Bo, the Deputy Director of the International Communication Center at School of Foreign Languages, Southwest Jiaotong University delivered speeches acknowledging the significant impact of this cultural exchange event. American student Myles King commented,
“Learning woodblock printing was an incredible experience, but more importantly, this exhibition gave us the opportunity to interact with Chinese students and create art together, making us truly becoming a bridge (of friendship) between China and the USA.”
From July 27th to August 6th, the visiting delegation will continue their educational tour in Yunnan with a theme of “Intangible Cultural Heritage and Craftsmanship Inheritance.”
The visit of the American youth to Southwest China is organized under the “YOUTH LINK” project by the International Communication Center of Southwest Jiaotong University.
In 2021, the International Communication Center at the School of Foreign Languages, Southwest Jiaotong University launched the “YOUTH LINK” project which has been committed to promoting international cultural exchanges among youth. YOUTH LINK has organized several events such as “Online Dialogues between International Youth,“ “China Tour and Chengdu Trips for Global Youth” and “China-US Youth Exchange Forum.”
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