International youth representatives explore the unique charm of Dongying, Shandong province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A sub-event of the 2023 Global Youth Conference kicked off in Dongying of Shandong province from July 8 to 9, attracting over 60 international youth representatives from more than 28 countries to experience the unique charm of the city and explore the Yellow River culture.

The event aimed to provide a platform for young people from different countries to understand Yellow River culture, enhance friendship and boost exchanges through experiential, multidimensional, diverse and entertaining activities.

International youth representatives learn about Dongying's intangible cultural heritage. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Organized by Dongying's foreign affairs office, Dongying Vocational Institute and Dongying Sports Culture Tourism Development Group, the event featured a variety of activities, including a tour of the entrance of the Bohai Sea that allowed participants to understand wetland culture, a visit to the Yellow River Culture Museum and the Lyuju Opera Museum, and a Yellow River Culture Exchange Camp where participants experienced the art of woodblock prints, puppets and calligraphy, and learned about Dongying's intangible cultural heritage.

The Yellow River Culture camp is a fruitful result of the World Estuarine Cities Conference for Cooperation and Development held last year. Since its launch, the camp has continuously innovated its forms and broadened its channels to promote Yellow River culture and other traditional Chinese cultures and strengthened mutual understanding and cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries.

The 2023 Global Youth Conference opened in Jinan city on July 7. It was hosted by the Shandong provincial government, the China People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the All-China Youth Federation and the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation.

International youth representatives pose for a photo while visiting Dongying. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]