Mutual understanding grows at international youth camp

Young people attending an international youth camp pose for a group photo in Shapotou scenic spot in Zhongwei, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, July 30, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Zhen)

YINCHUAN, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- As night fell on July 29, a blazing bonfire rose in the desert of Zhongwei City, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Accompanied by cheerful music, young people from different countries danced together under the starry sky, reveling in the joy of friendship night.

"It's so funny. I cannot dance, but I still had a good time," Park Chan Ho, who is from the Republic of Korea (ROK), said after being pulled into the center of the crowd.

That night, teenagers from the ROK also performed an entertaining group dance named "Baby Shark," receiving warm applause from their audience.

Friendship night took place as part of the 2024 Ningxia International Youth Friendship Camp. The camp was held from July 26 to 31, inviting 34 youth representatives from 12 countries, including the ROK, Mongolia and Kazakhstan, as well as 13 from China's Ningxia. Participants experienced traditional Chinese culture, explored ecological protection work, and learned about the development of specialized industries in the region.

"Look at mine!" Semjaan Batkhishig, who is from Mongolia, said excitedly as she showed her creation to her friends. She had just carved a rabbit on a Helan stone, a type of stone from Ningxia's Helan Mountains that is particularly easy to carve.

At Yinchuan's intangible cultural heritage exhibition center, youths from various countries had the opportunity to experience traditional Chinese arts such as Helan stone carving, sand art and paper cutting. And when they left the camp, they were able to take the artworks they created home with them as souvenirs.

Batkhishig enjoyed every moment she spent with her peers, she said. "It's the first time for me to come to China. I think the environment is beautiful, the air is fresh and people are friendly, and I hope to come to China next year."

Young people show their Helan stone carvings at an intangible cultural heritage exhibition center in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, July 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Zhen)

Mongolian teenagers not only received gifts from Ningxia, they also brought gifts with them from Mongolia -- sheep bones used for a game known in English as knucklebones. Chinese teenager Lyu Yifan was fortunate enough to be gifted a set. "I was so pleasantly surprised. I watched my parents play this in my childhood, but this gift is much more exquisite," she said.

Lyu speaks fluent English and often played interpreter at the camp, which won her many new international friends. But she doesn't think language is necessary to communicate, she said, as people can understand one another easily through gestures, photos and other universal forms of communication.

"Communicating with local people helps somebody really know a place," Lyu said. She has taken part in similar activities before, and still keeps in touch with the many friends she has made over the years. "I think this is a window giving us more opportunities to communicate," she said, holding up her phone to show people her chat history with some of her foreign friends.

The camp also included a unique homestay experience, during which young foreigners spent a day and a night with teenagers from Ningxia and their families. When Park was with his homestay family, he tried Ningxia foods like mutton kebabs for the first time and visited a local elementary school campus.

"I loved my homestay family, and my worries before coming to China were completely dispelled by friendly people and delicious food," he said.

Mohammad Saiyedul Islam, who is from Bangladesh and has the Chinese name Wu Di, also found his homestay experience to be unique. By eating and living with Chinese people, you can truly experience their culture and lifestyle, which allows for better understanding, Wu said, noting that he hopes to see similar experiences emerge in his country.

Over the last few years, Wu has been making efforts to tell the story of China from his own perspective, aiming to show the real China to the world. He has published many articles at home and abroad, recounting his personal experience of China.

He participated in the Ningxia camp as a foreign youth representative, and could be seen interviewing people, taking photographs and using a drone to record touching moments.

"During this camp, I witnessed the power of friendship that transcends borders and cultures. We came from different countries and backgrounds but shared the same enthusiasm and desire for connection. It has not only strengthened my belief in international friendship but also inspired me to take more action to promote cultural exchange and understanding," Wu said.