2021 Shanghai International Sister Cities Youth Camp came to an end

2021 Shanghai International Sister Cities Youth Camp, which was hosted by Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, organized by Yangpu Education Bureau, co-organized by Yangpu Education International Exchange Center and International Education Association Shanghai came to an end.

The camp has invited more than 180 youths from 19 friendly cities in 17 countries to participate in the camp.

At the same time, “2021 Shanghai International Sister Cities Youth Camp” recruited more than 140 outstanding students from Shanghai to participate as volunteers throughout the activity. They were paired with foreign campers to take online courses, realized the “heart-to-heart” interaction online and completed online learning activities, which deepened communication, promoted long-term contact and enhanced friendship and understanding among youth.



On July 19, "2021 Shanghai International Sister Cities Youth Camp" started with a global multi-point connection at No.1 High School Affiliated to Tongji University. Chen Qun, Deputy Mayor of Shanghai Municipal People’s Government attended the event and announced the opening of the camp. Li Yongzhi, Deputy Director of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, and Wang Hao, Deputy Mayor of Yangpu District, delivered speeches on behalf of the host and the organizer respectively. Harni Rinta-aho, Deputy Mayor of Espoo, Finland, Mohammed AL Hashmi, Chief Technology Officer of Expo 2020 Dubai, UAE, Shuzo Hirata, Minister of Education of Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan and Juan Carlos Flores Miramontes, Minister of Education of the State of Jalisco, Mexico, as governmental representatives of international sister cities, delivered speeches via video. The opening of the summer camp was witnessed by officials from the consulates of 12 countries in Shanghai, representatives from the education bureaus of eight districts in Shanghai, more than 100 principals, teachers, volunteer students and more than 180 foreign campers online.






"2021 Shanghai International Sister Cities Youth Camp" was held online for the first time. And it was also the first time hosted by one district and linked by multiple districts, driving and radiating the practical exploration of the overall development of education and international exchange in all districts of Shanghai. Based on the new camp concept of teaching with fun, learning with interest, knowledge with action, and play with movement, the organizers build an exclusive online platform for youth camp and has used information technology and data elements to create a resource pool for camp courses and activities, so as to build intuitive, lively, interesting and enjoyable camp contents such as Shanghai's humanities, traditional Chinese culture, Chinese language learning and youth exchange forums.

From July 20 to 27,  from 16:00-19:00 Beijing time every day, campers and volunteers logged on to the platform in real names to participate in the live programs prepared by the organizers.Under the guidance of two volunteer anchors, they learn about Chinese and Chinese culture of "food, clothing, housing and transportation”, trying to speak mandarin. Other than language learning courses, campers can also watch other kinds of online courses and use the course kits for offline experience and hands-on production. 

Campers could also have a taste of traditional Chinese culture and humanistic landscape in Shanghai by watching themed video resources, such as “Touring around in Shanghai”, “University Display”, “Shanghai Local Households” and “Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage Appreciation”.

At the end of each day's study, the campers and volunteers will have a live interactive discussion through online platform, exchanging their feelings about the day's study to achieve online and offline interaction, communicating inside and outside the screen.


(Interactive discussion through ZOOM platform)



(Chinese class through Tangfeng platform)



(Works of Chinese and foreign campers)


On the afternoon of July 28, with the theme of "Sustainable Communities", one of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, the Youth Camp Forum was held through ZOOM platform. Campers and volunteers from 18 countries shared a deepest communication on the topics of water and air pollution、transportation network、garbage recycling and so on. Every groups of the campers started the preparatory work such as shooting videos and making PPT and finally presented a meaningful、profound and thoughtful youth forum.

  

(Presentations of Chinese and foreign campers on Youth Forum)


On the afternoon of July 30, "2021 Shanghai International Sister Cities Youth Camp" was successfully concluded. Nearly all the campers, volunteers and teachers participated in the closing ceremony. First, four representatives of the lead teachers and two campers shared their experience of participating in the camp. Ten city campers presented their city programs and cultural customs. Mr Wu Yingjun, Director of International Cooperation and Exchange Division of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, warmly congratulated all the campers and volunteers on completing an enriching, interesting and meaningful learning and exchange activity, and expressed his heartfelt thanks to the schools, leaders, teachers, parents and individuals who have been caring for the growth of young people and working hard for this activity. At last, the song "You Raise Me Up" was song by all the campers and volunteers. In the message section of the platform, everyone left their contact information, looking forward to a long-lasting contact in the future. Although Covid-19 had changed the way this camp was organized, the international exchange was not impeded by online communication. The summer of 2021 was fantastic because of this special online camp! 



(Leading teacher of Jalisco, Mexico gave the speech;)                                              (Leading teacher of Rosario, Argentina gave the speech;)



Leading teacher of Antwerp, Belgium gave the speech;

Leading teacher of Colombo, Sri Lanka gave the speech

Summarizing speech by Mr. Wu Yingjun; 


(Performance of Yokohama, Japan)                             (Performance of Chiang Mai Province, Thailand)