From December 23 to 30, nine members of faculty and students from California State University, Northridge (CSUN), the United States, came to ZUFE for a one-week cultural exchange program.Vice President Zheng Yali attended the opening ceremony and delivered a welcome address. Relevant administrators from the International Exchange & Cooperation Department and the School of International Education and Studies, together with selected teachers and students, took part in the activities.
On behalf of ZUFE, Zheng Yali extended a warm welcome to all participants of the exchange camp. She noted that the university had made thorough advance planning and elaborate arrangements for the program, aiming to enable China-US young people to gain an in-depth understanding of Zhejiang’s natural scenery and profound cultural heritage and experience the unique charm of local culture firsthand. She expressed her hope that through this exchange visit, all campers would grow into goodwill ambassadors for mutual learning between China-US civilizations, bridges linking the East and the West, and future-oriented pioneers.
During the one-week itinerary, campers traveled across Hangzhou and its surrounding areas for an all-round cultural exploration covering history, arts, science and technology as well as folk customs. They strolled beside the West Lake and savored the poetic landscape embodied in the famous line “Whether she is richly adorned or plainly dressed” at the Broken Bridge and the Bai Causeway. At the Zhejiang Provincial Museum (Zhijiang Campus), they heard ancient tales behind artifacts from carved patterns on Liangzhu jade cong and the fine craftsmanship of Warring States crystal cups, experiencing the profundity and splendor of Chinese civilization.
The exchange camp also featured demonstrations of China’s modern technologies. Campers paid a visit to Zhongce Rubber Group Co., Ltd. Inside its intelligent production workshops, fully automated production lines operated efficiently, vividly showcasing the technological prowess and innovative vitality of Zhejiang’s manufacturing sector and winning widespread admiration from all participants. Later, the group headed for Strawberry Town in Qiantang District. Amid idyllic rural scenery, they experienced the precision and high efficiency of smart agriculture firsthand. Through fruit-picking activities, they witnessed how technology empowers traditional agriculture to foster new vitality.
Cultural experience courses were rich and varied. Activities ranged from daily Chinese language learning and hand-painting Peking Opera facial masks, to drawing cute giant pandas with traditional Chinese ink wash painting, and traveling back in time at the Grand Canal Museum via AR and VR technologies. Through interactive practices, campers gained a deeper appreciation for the unique charm of Chinese language and arts. The closing dumpling-making workshop was filled with cheerful laughter. China-US teachers and students sat together, and their friendship grew warm amid cooperation and sharing alongside the inviting aroma of freshly made dumplings.
This “"Discover Zhejiang" China-U.S. Youth Cultural Exchange Camp Youth Cultural Exchange Camp marks the third installment of such programs hosted by ZUFE. Featuring immersive experiences and face-to-face interactions, the camp has sown seeds of understanding and friendship in the hearts of young participants from both countries. As youth represent the future of the world, exchanges of this kind serve as a vital practice to build cross-cultural trust and strengthen people-to-people bonds. It is expected that these young ambassadors will keep fulfilling their mission of friendly exchanges, inject youthful dynamism into China-US people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and jointly paint a promising picture of mutual learning among diverse civilizations.
(Editor: Che Peng)
