2016 Shanghai International Youth Interactive Friendship Camp held the first selection for the "Friendship Ambassadors" on April 9, 2016. More than 200 students ranging from Grade 9 to 12 (15 to 18 years old) competed for the qualification of 15 Chinese campers. It's the first time that the friendship camp has had a city-wide audition.

The selection adopted one-to-one English interview and judged contestants in four aspects: self-introduction, talent show, impromptu Q & A and temperament and manner. Among these, the judges generally valued English proficiency, international communication skills, personalized talents and comprehensive qualities.

Zheng Mingqian from Xinzhong High School is a confident and lively girl aged 16. She said that this selection was informed by their teacher in the Wechat group. Zheng had much international exchange experience, eg: she received students from Germany at school and took part in the study tour in UK, Holland and Belgium. The tall girl looks forward to making friends with peers from all over the world in the upcoming summer holidays.

Impromptu questions asked in the interview were open-minded and interesting, some of which were about cultural differences and the events of the camp. For example: Where will you take foreign friend to hang out during his/her homestay? How will you answer to the question why Chinese people sleep on the mats in the summer? What's your dream? And even do you have a girl friend?

Students also showed various talents such as singing and playing, Chinese Kungfu, calligraphy and painting, magic and instrument performance.

Founded in 2005, Shanghai International Youth Interactive Friendship Camp is sponsored by Shanghai People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and Shanghai Youth Federation and organized by Shanghai Youth and Children's Activity Centre.

Last year, 120 young people from 20 countries participated in a series of events such as "Be a Shanghainese" homestay with local families, "Theme Show on Nations", "I Love Shanghai" orienteering competition, Visit to the Exhibition Hall of Anti-Japanese War in Jinshanwei, Chinese food taste and Chinese folk culture experience.