The world in a university

Voices of tomorrow

After touring the carnival, I joined the PKU Global Youth Forum. Here, I heard young voices from across the globe share their thoughts on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and celebrated its 10th anniversary.

Li Rufei, a Chinese student from the School of Foreign Languages, believes that by reflecting on the past decade, we can work together to create a brighter future. "The vitality of youth can guide us through the occasional setbacks," he emphasized.

Donglona Adawa Thomas, a doctoral student from Chad at the School of International Studies, shared his observations of the BRI in his homeland. "The initiative has provided a platform for all countries to cooperate on an equal basis," he said.

Koen Smeets from the Netherlands, a scholar at the Yenching Academy of PKU, is currently conducting research on the history of US-China diplomatic relations. He believes that understanding history is key to navigating today's complex world.

Li Qiaoqiao and Zhang Jiaqi, both Chinese students, took part in a university trip to Ethiopia last summer. They witnessed the positive changes the BRI has brought to the country. "The BRI is a perfect platform for global youth to contribute their efforts," they said.

Wu Huanqiong from China and Mohan Ismael from Iraq shared insights on international cooperation. "Through the BRI, the dreams of people from different countries have converged into a shared global dream," they said.

H.E. Ian Marshall, Ambassador to China from Grenada and a Peking University alumnus, encouraged today's youth to bridge cultural gaps and celebrate the BRI's pursuit of an "open, inclusive, and interconnected world for common development".

The year 2023 marks the PKU Global Engagement Year. During this year, I have witnessed the school's dedicated efforts to foster global inclusion on campus and promote understanding between Chinese youth and their overseas peers. The grandeur of the ICF not only aptly marked its 20th anniversary but also reflected the growing international student population at the university.

I hope that PKU's engagement with the world and China's engagement with the world will continue to flourish.

Written by Wang Licheng, Wen Xunyan, and Li Zhuoran, along with their fellow student reporters from Peking University.