EU – China Year of Youth / 4 - 11 July 2011 Beijing & Xian – China ‘EU-China Youth Forum on sustainable development’
The EU-China Year of Youth coincides with the European Year of Volunteering and the 10th anniversary of the International Year of Volunteering. The yearlong program, co-hosted by the European Commission and the All-China Youth Federation, aims to promote intercultural dialogue and strengthen mutual understanding and friendship between European and Chinese youth, as well as encourage young people to care about and support the development of EU-China relations. The EU-China Year of Youth is the start of a series of themed years in EU-China relations. 2012 has been designated as the EU-China Year of Intercultural Dialogue.
The programme (see below), full of interesting cultural visits, had as a scope to promote and develop better understanding and appreciation of cross-cultural differences between EU and China youth. The impact of my participation to the programme is best described by Mr. Markus Ederer, Head of EU Delegation in Beijing**:
What difference can the EU-China Year of Youth make to my life?
I think that the best answer to this question is "opening up to each other".
Liang Qichao, (1873-1929) a Chinese scholar, journalist, philosopher and advocate of democracy published his “Ode to Young China” in late Qing Dynasty were it stated:
“The young are the ones who bear the responsibility of building a new young China…When the young are wise, the country will be wise; when the young are rich, the country will be rich; when the young are strong, so will be the country; when the young are independent, the country will be, too; when the young are free, the country will be free; when the young progress, the country will progress; when the young surpass Europe, the country will surpass Europe; when the young dominate the globe, then the country will as well”
Liang Qichao, “Ode to Young China”, 1900.
Liang Qichao saying quoted by Markus Ederer, Head of EU Delegation in Beijing, in his speech at the Opening Ceremony of the EU-China Year of Youth in Beijing**, as: "If the youth are wise, society will be wise; if the youth are rich, society will be rich; if the youth are strong, society will be strong; if the youth are independent, society will be independent; if the youth are free, society will be free; if the youth progress, society will progress."
Let’s try all for that!
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The programme of the 4th flagship event of EU – China Year of Youth 2011
July 4, Monday – Beijing All Day: European participants arrive in Beijing / 19:00 Welcoming Reception - Address by Ms. Dong Xia, Deputy Secretary-General of All-China Youth Federation & Mr Ioannis Kavvadas, EU Delegation to China & Mongolia
July 5, Tuesday – Beijing 09:00 – 11:00 Visit the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China / Introduction to the CPC and its international work by Mr. Shi Guohui, Assistant to the Director of Bureau VII / 11:00 – 11:30 Q&A / 13:30 Guided tour of the Forbidden City
July 6, Wednesday – Xi’an Departure for Xi’an / 14:00 – 18:00 Group program (Group A: Guided Tour of Xi’an Jiaotong University/ Group B: Guided Tour of the Local Community/ Group C: Guided Tour of Xi’an Wastewater Treatment Plant/ Group D: Guided Tour of Xi’an Qujiang Cultural Industry Zone) / 20:00 Great Tang Sleepless Town
July 7, Thursday 09:30 Yongning Gate (South Gate) of the old city - Ancient Style Welcome Ceremony/ 10:00 Cycling on the gate tower / 12:30 International Horticulture Exposition Garden (http://en.expo2011.cn/)/ 14:00 EU-China Green Proclamation Launching Ceremony
July 8, Friday 09:00 Opening Ceremony of the EU-China Youth Forum for Sustainable Development/ Address by Mr. Chen Zhongni, Vice President of the All-China Youth Federation - Ms. Kristin Schreiber, Head of Unit, External Relations, DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, European Commission - Mr. Li Yuqi, President of the Shaanxi Provincial Youth Federation - Luca Scarpiello, Vice President of European Youth Forum - Ms. Wang Meng, Member of the 11th Committee of ACYF, short track speed skater, Olympic Champion - Moderator: Dong Xia, Deputy Secretary-General of the ACYF / 09:30 -12:00 Keynote Speeches*
Topic 1: Economic Sustainable Development and Youth -Chinese expert: Mr. Jiang Changyun, researcher of the Institute of the Industry-based Economy and High-tech Economy, National Development and Reform Commission, Member of the Expert Committee of the National Sustainable Development Pilot Zone; & -EU expert: Dr. Paul Fleming, Director of Sustainable Development, Professor of Energy Management, De Montfort University
Topic 2: Ecological Sustainable Development and Youth -Chinese Expert: Ms. Li Min, Member of the expert team of the National Mother River Protection Operation, Senior Engineer of the Yellow River Upper Reaches Management Bureau, expert on water and soil conservation & - EU Expert: Dr. Peter Schmuck, Professor and Research Leader, University Göttingen
14:30 – 18:00 Working Groups (Group A: Green Volunteering/ Group B: Green Transportation/ Group C: Green Consumption/ Group D: Green Creativity)
July 9, Saturday 10:00 – 12:00 Plenary meeting / presentation of the results/ 15:00 – 17:00 Terra Cotta Museum/18:30 Farewell Banquet
July 10, Sunday Departure for Beijing/ 16:00 – 18:00 Guided tour of the Great Wall /
July 11, Monday All day: Departures
*Article in Chinese newspaper http://english.cri.cn/7146/2011/07/11/2702s647606.htm
**Message from Markus Ederer, Head of EU Delegation in Beijing - An exciting matchmaking opportunity http://www.2011euchinayouth.eu/news/message-markus-ederer-head-eu-delegation-beijing / published in the newspaper “China Daily”: Markus Ederer ‘A great opportunity for China and EU’ http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/thinktank/2011-02/23/content_12061982.htm
More info:
European Commission -> Youth -> Focus on -> 2011 EU-China Year of Youth http://ec.europa.eu/youth/focus/focus1864_en.htm
2011 EU-China Year of Youth official European website www.2011euchinayouth.eu
-Facebook https://www.facebook.com/EU.China.YEARofYOUTH
-Vimeo http://vimeo.com/yoy2011/videos
-Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/yoy2011/
2011中欧青年交流年 EU-China Year of Youth Official Website http://www.2011y.net/
Facebook - EU-China Year of Youth networking group (Open) - https://www.facebook.com/groups/172049682838814/
