Youth from International Friendship Cities visited the Kunming International Flower Auction Trading Center. 

Youths from International Friendship Cities showcased their talents at the closing ceremony of the exchange week. 

Youths from International Friendship Cities experienced Yunnan folk songs and dances in the Shilin Scenic Area. 

Recently, The 2024 Yunnan International Friendship Cities Youth Exchange Week and Photo Exhibition on International Friendship Cities of Yunnan was held. During the event, more than 100 young participants from 25 international friendship cities and organizations across 20 countries gathered in Yunnan. Through visits and exchanges, they gained deep insights into Yunnan's urban diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy stories that emphasize win-win cooperation and shared development with the world. They also had the opportunity to personally experience the beauty of Yunnan's nature, humanities, openness and development, as well as "a way of life called Yunnan". 

When visiting Photo Exhibition on International Friendship Cities of Yunnan, Lungelo Yangke, deputy secretary of the Laos-China Friendship Association,  remarked: "Seven pairs of  friendship cities have been established along the China-Laos railway, including Kunming, Yuxi, Pu'er and Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, and Vientiane, Champasak and Luang Prabang in Laos. The benefits of the 'Golden Route' are  increasingly evident, with smooth trade and enjoyable travel for people."

Photos Unfolding a Tapestry of Cooperation

International friendship cities are an important carrier and witness of Yunnan's new pattern of openness. In November 1981, Kunming and Fujisawa, Japan, became the first international friendship city pair in Yunnan Province, marking the beginning of Yunnan's international friendship city initiatives. As of August 2024, Yunnan Province has established 111 pairs of international friendship cities with 37 countries across five continents. The "circle of friends" continues to expand, gradually constructing a bridge of friendship that allows the world to understand Yunnan while enabling Yunnan to connect with the world.

The theme of the Photo Exhibition on Yunnan International Friendship Cities is "Yunnan: There is a Kind of Friend Called Friendship Cities". The exhibition comprises eight chapters: introduction, Asia, America, Europe, Oceania, Africa, "Heart-to-Heart Yunnan Tour", and the conclusion. It employs graphic materials and videos to comprehensively showcase the exchanges, cooperation achievements and people-to-people diplomacy among Yunnan's international friendship cities. 

"As a diplomat who has worked and lived in Yunnan for a long time, I can say that Yunnan boasts stunning natural scenery and rich ethnic customs, imbued with poetic charm. Yunnan is open and inclusive, actively embracing the world and showcasing its dynamic development and opportunities," said Bangdang Basapadi, Consul General of Laos in Kunming, after viewing the photo exhibition. He emphasized that the Lao Party and Government highly value Yunnan's special role in the development of China-Laos friendly relations, and actively promote exchanges and cooperation across various fields, achieving remarkable results in economic and trade investment, international friendship city and youth exchanges. 

Experiences Planting the Seeds of Friendship

The relationship between nations relies on the people, is grounded in civil society, and has its future in the youth. The activities of this exchange week were diverse in form and rich in content. Through visits and surveys, real-life experiences and interactive exchanges, young people from various countries immersed themselves in charm of Yunnan's green development, ecological viability, ethnic unity, diversity and inclusion. 

Young representatives from the friendship cities in Texas, Delaware and Denver in the United States visited the Kunming Flying Tigers Memorial Hall and the Dali Xiangyun Flying Tigers Site, and interacted with students from the "Flying Tigers Friendship School" Kunming Foreign Languages School and Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture Xiangyun No.2 Middle School. This initiative fostered understanding and friendship among the "Z-generation" youth of China and the United States, allowing them to jointly inherit the spirit of the Flying Tigers, and continue the friendship between the two nations. 

Ahmed Mahdi, a young member of the Egypt-China Friendship Association, expressed that this journey broadened his horizons and helped him make friends, and fostered friendships. He was delighted to exchange ideas with young people from Yunnan and learn from each other's civilizations. Akemi Nishioka, a young woman from Mima City, Japan, reflected that as long as sincere communication and genuine interactions are maintained, friendly relations between countries can be established and sustained. Maria, a young woman from Vladimir Oblast, Russia, mentioned that she would share her experiences and the charm of Yunnan with more Russian youth, looking forward to more youth exchanges between Russia and Yunnan.

Culture becomes colorful through exchange and enriched through mutual learning. This event has planted the seeds of friendship in the hearts of young people from various countries, which is crucial for their future participation, support and promotion of international friendly relations. They all expressed that in the future, they will adopt a broader international perspective to view the world, actively participate in various forms of cultural exchange activities, and strive to become positive youth energy and friendly ambassadors for promoting the development of inter-country relations. 

Communication

Friends from friendship cities, I met fellow villagers in Yunnan

"I will teach you a few phrases of Yunnan dialect that will come in handy while traveling around." "Come with me, I know some authentic Vietnamese restaurants in Kunming"... During the recent opening of the "Yunnan: There is a Kind of Friend Called Friendship Cities" photo exhibition, Su Wei, an overseas communication officer from the Yunnan Province International Communication Center for South Asia and Southeast Asia and a Laotian student at Yunnan University, and a Vietnamese student, Fan Zhongjian, separately encountered Kemala Pengtawan, a Laotian youth, and Aliu, a Vietnamese youth, who were invited to attend, speaking a dialogue about Yunnan and international friendship.

"Hekou Yao Autonomous County and Lao Cai City, separated by the Red River, essential stops for me when I came to study in Kunming. We established friendly city relationship many years ago, and we take turns hosting the China-Vietnam Border Trade Fair, the China-Vietnam Transnational Spring Festival Gala and the Border Residents' Carnival every year. The camaraderie between China and Vietnam as 'comrades and brothers' is deepening." In front of the display board for Vietnamese friendship cities, the photos of Hekou and Lao Cai stirred memories for Fan Zhongjian and resonated with Aliu. 

"Yunnan Province has established 9 pairs of international friendship cities with Laos, and our hometown, Vientiane, is one of them". "At the three administrative levels of province, prefecture (city) and county (town, district), has already established 16 pairs of international friendship cities with Vietnam." Meeting fellow villagers in a foreign land that has close ties with their hometown allowed these two pairs of foreign youths to feel the unique charm of " a way of life called Yunnan", and discuss Yunnan's collaborative development stories with their own countries, leaving a profound impression on them.

"The breathtaking beauty of Yunnan's nature, culture, openness, and development, coupled with the inspiring stories of Yunnan's city diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy, truly moved us. We feel fortunate and excited to have met in Yunnan," said the four foreign youths. They expressed their intention to seize future cooperation opportunities between countries and regions, actively contributing to enhancing friendship and mutual learning between their hometowns and Yunnan. (Yunnan Daily, reporter Zhu Hai, text/photo)

Click here to view the Chinese report 

(Editors: Reena, Jennifer)