With the theme of “Peace, Friendship, Future”, the 15th Shanghai International Youth Interactive Friendship Camp opened at Shanghai Oriental Land on July 17.

(Jing Ying, Vice President of Shanghai People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and Shi Yichan, Deputy Secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Communist Youth League, took pictures with delegates from various countries)

In the coming days, over 120 young people coming from 20 countries will find joy and friendship through an array of events across Shanghai, like Chinese cultural experiences, homestays with local families and personal development activities. It is the first time for Burkina Faso, Panama, and Trinidad and Tobago to lead youngsters to the camp.

(A camper from Burkina Faso)

Campers from Nepal are selected by their knowledge of Chinese culture, talents and skills. The tutor leading them said these Nepalese were studying hard on Chinese and one of them could even play some Chinese songs on flute.

At the opening ceremony, campers from various countries went onto the stage and introduced themselves with paintings they had drawn.

(American campers introduce themselves with paintings they made.)

(Nepalese campers show Chinese and Nepalese are friends and good neighbors through art.)

During an interview with Eastday.com, a tutor named Lynn Eisenhauer from Lincoln High School in Tacoma, Washington, sang the song “On the Hopeful Field” with clear articulation and a mellow and full tune. She recalled excitedly, “In 2015, President Xi and Madame Peng came to my school. When they were there, my choir sang a song for them…. After their visit, the president invited 100 of our students to come to China for a friendship visit. So three years ago, I brought 100 students. This year, I came to this friendship camp, so I am very excited to bring another group of students who had never been on an airplane or been out of the state they live in, to come and meet friends from all over the world. We are so happy to be here.”

During the camp, these teenagers of different colors, ethnicities and nationalities, who speak different languages, are divided into 10 groups. They were given the camp flag and were ready to embark on a fantastic tour to experience the charming culture in Shanghai.

(Campers from Portugal)

(Campers from South Korea)

Shanghai is a beautiful city with well-preserved historical buildings and being modern at the same time, said Guadalupe Guerrero, a Panamanian girl who has come to Shanghai for the first time.

The Shanghai International Youth Interactive Camp is sponsored by the Shanghai People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (SPAFFC) and the Shanghai Youth Federation, and is organized by the Shanghai Youth and Children’s Activity Centre, encouraging young people all over the world to become goodwill ambassadors and leverage the wisdom of youth for world peace and friendship.

Since its launch in 2005, the camp has played an instrumental role in deepening mutual understanding and exchange between young people in Shanghai and other countries.

(Story by Wang Jiaye)

(Translated by Fu Yifei and Wu Qiong)