On July 26, the "Crossing Mountains and Seas, Gathering at BCU" summer camp came to a successful conclusion. A total of 87 faculty and students from Brazil, Mexico, San Marino, Italy, Uzbekistan, Russia, and other countries arrived at Beijing City University (BCU) in batches to enjoy an immersive cross-border cultural and academic feast.
At the opening ceremony, Ye Yingfang, Vice Chair of the University Council of BCU, delivered a speech extending a warm welcome to the international guests. She encouraged the participants to experience the unique charm of Beijing, to deepen their understanding through Chinese language learning and field visits, and to become ambassadors of friendly exchanges between their home countries and China.
Dulce Maria Salcedo Fernandez, a student representative from the Confucius Institute at the University of Guadalajara, delivered a speech in fluent Chinese. She expressed her long-standing fascination with China's profound culture and her deep honor to participate in the summer camp at BCU. She looked forward to actively engaging in the courses, experiencing traditional Chinese culture in depth, visiting Beijing's historical sites, and building cross-border friendships with peers from different countries.
The summer camp offered a rich and diverse curriculum, covering both traditional culture and modern technology. In addition to lectures on traditional architecture, traditional Chinese medicine, and Chinese language learning, participants also visited workshops on traditional Chinese lacquer art and ceramics, where they had the opportunity to experience intangible cultural heritage firsthand. Furthermore, the group visited the Zhongguancun National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone Exhibition Center in Haidian District, where they learned about China's cutting-edge technologies in artificial intelligence, commercial aerospace, high-end medical devices, and more. They witnessed firsthand how Beijing leverages its scientific and educational resources to develop new quality productive forces.
During the visit, Brazilian students Leonardo Costa Borsa and Samuel were interviewed by the Haidian District Media Center. They remarked that the study tour vividly demonstrated China's breakthroughs in engineering, automotive manufacturing, urban governance, and high-end medical technology, and they were particularly impressed by the real-world applications of artificial intelligence across multiple sectors. They noted that the program had broadened their academic horizons and deepened their affection for Beijing, expressing a strong desire to return for further studies and engage in cross-cultural and interdisciplinary research.
At the closing ceremony, student representatives Leilani and Hector expressed their heartfelt gratitude to BCU and all the instructors. They shared that the summer camp had not only significantly improved their Chinese language skills but also deepened their understanding and love for China through immersive cultural experiences.
Tu Zeyu, a student volunteer representative from the English program at BCU, also shared his reflections. He said that this volunteer experience had allowed him to gain friendships that transcend borders and strengthened his conviction to contribute to cross-cultural exchanges with youthful energy.
The "Crossing Mountains and Seas, Gathering at BCU" summer camp not only provided an excellent platform for overseas youth to learn about China and experience Beijing, but also served as a bridge for youth exchange, vividly presenting the development story of Haidian District and fully demonstrating BCU's open and inclusive international image. The program has laid a solid foundation for continuously deepening people-to-people and cultural exchanges and friendly relations between China and other countries.
