Shot by Yang Meiping. Edited by Yang Meiping. Subtitles by Yang Meiping.
Dong Jun / SHINE
Students from Shanghai’s international sister cities try dragon dance at Jinyuan Senior High School.
Dong Jun / SHINE
Dragon dance
Nearly 90 teenagers from 17 cities in 16 countries are in Shanghai for a two-week summer program as part of the 2024 Shanghai International Sister Cities Youth Camp. The annual event, launched by the Shanghai Education Commission in 2009, is an important window for young students from other countries to learn about China and Shanghai.
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Chinese calligraphy.
Dong Jun / SHINE
Kite making
The Putuo District Education Bureau and commission are jointly hosting the event this year.
The students learn about China, its language, intangible heritage, traditional Chinese clothes, and lion dance with the help of volunteers from schools nearby.
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Moulding
Since arriving on July 3, they have toured Yuyuan Garden, the Bund, and the Oriental Pearl TV Tower. To experience the Shanghainese way of living, they stayed with local families on Sunday.
Bao Yuquan, deputy head of the Putuo District Education Bureau, wished them an unforgettable Shanghai summer.
“At the camp, they discovered the differences in cultures, but the young students hope to strengthen communication and understanding with each other and build a better future and a more beautiful world together,” she said.
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Paper-cutting
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Rubbing
Nicolas Martinez de Castro Maldonado, 16, from Mexico, said he was thoroughly enjoying his first visit to Shanghai.
“It is a really beautiful big city,” he said. “I think people here have a lot of dreams, and it’s great.”
He said Shanghai offered a lot of scope to explore culture, food, and people.
“There are a lot of people from many places, and I think it’s spectacular to see so many cultures in one place,” he said.
“We have also had many classes of traditional Chinese culture. I’m enjoying my time here.”
Nicolas Martinez de Castro Maldonado shows off handicrafts.
Over the weekend, the students visited the homes of volunteers.
“We visited two shopping malls before visiting a volunteer’s residence. Her mother prepared a lovely dinner for us. We played basketball and badminton,” he said.
“It was a great homestay experience for us.”
He learned some Chinese and Shanghai dialects.
“The volunteers are all nice. We’re working together and trying to understand everyone.”
,https://www.shine.cn/news/metro/2407091938/