No Matter the Distance, We are Still Close Companions Exploring the Chongqing Story on a China-SCO Children’s Study Tour Amidst Breathtaking Scenery

By Liu Dingrui/The World and Chongqing

In order to further enhance the emotional resonance and cultural identity among the youth of the SCO countries， the study tour activity “SCO Children Hand in Hand Towards the Future” was held in Chongqing from July 20 to 24.

The event was guided by the Secretariat of the Good-Neighborliness， Friendship and Cooperation Commission of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and National Permanent Standing Commission-Young Pioneers of China. It was co-hosted by the Trade and Economic Multifunctional Platform for SCO Countries （referred to as SCO Trade and Economic Platform）， Chongqing Municipal Education Commission and SCO Trade and Economic Platforms Working Group， and Communist Youth League Committee of Chongqing and SCO Trade and Economic Platforms Working Group， and Chongqing Municipal Working Committee of the Chinese Young Pioneers. It was jointly organized by the SCO Trade and Economic Platforms Basic Education Working Committee， Education Services Working Committee， Chongqing Youth Palace， Chongqing West Window International Youth Exchange Center， Young Pioneers Daily， and China Three Gorges Museum in Chongqing. A group of nine children from Kazakhstan， Kyrgyzstan， Myanmar， and other member countries of the SCO， embarked on a five-day friendship trip alongside 18 Chinese children. Together， they ventured to explore the captivating allure of Bayu and discover the richness of Chinese traditional culture.

City Roaming to Discover the Past and the Present

On July 20， the study tour activity was launched at the China Three Gorges Museum in Chongqing. During the two-day study tour， the group visited various notable places in Chongqing， including the Chongqing Planning Exhibition Hall， Chongqing Youth Anti-Drug Education Base， Changan Automobile Global R&D Center， and Guoyuan Port National Logistics Hub Exhibition Hall. These visits provided the participants with an up-close experience of Chongqings urban development， technological advancements， and remarkable achievements in construction. The children also had the opportunity to board the “Eye of the Sky” and “Chongqing Summit” together， giving them a breathtaking view of the dazzling night lights of Chongqing.

“I have never seen a city so enchanting at night，” said Baimurat from Kazakhstan. Asanari， also from Kazakhstan， shared， “This is my first visit to Chongqing. I had some knowledge about Chongqing from studying Chinese before， but the city is much larger and more beautiful than what I had imagined.” Xin Lingcheng from Myanmar， who celebrated the birthday in Chongqing， expressed， “The people here， both young and old， are very welcoming and friendly. I truly enjoy being here. Through communication and interaction， I have also learned some Chinese words. It brings me great joy.”

Exploring the Traditional Culture of Bayu

At the Chongqing Youth Palace， the children became “ambassadors of intangible cultural heritage”， immersing themselves in the enchanting world of traditional Chinese arts. They delved into activities like paper-cutting， printmaking， dough sculpture， tuanshan， and lantern-making， gaining a deep appreciation for the diverse and magical techniques of Chinas intangible cultural heritage. This experience allowed them to fully explore and embrace the rich traditions of Bayu. They also collaborated to paint the iconic buildings of SCO member countries on a 25-meter-long scroll， using vibrant colors to portray their vision of a harmonious and beautiful home within the SCO community.

With a resounding blast of the ships whistle， the children embarked on a cruise down the river， visiting iconic landmarks such as Baidi， Kuimen， Qutang， and Wu Gorge. They also had the chance to marvel at the Shennv attraction and uncover the captivating “Chongqing Story” hidden behind the majestic mountains and rivers.

Dou Xin， the cultural ambassador of the SCO Trade and Economic Platform， delivered a dynamic and captivating class titled “The World as a Textbook” on a cruise ship. By intertwining intriguing stories like Liu Beis strategic move to borrow Jingzhou， the Battle of Yiling， and the heartwarming Liubei Entrusted Orphanage at White Emperor City， Dou Xin provided the children with an interactive and enjoyable study experience.

In the thematic study class “Scenic Writings of Mount Wushan”， the teacher guided the children in rediscovering and appreciating magnificent poems by esteemed poets like Li Bai， Du Fu， Bai Juyi， and Liu Yuxi. The class delved into the world of Qu Yuan and his immortal poem Li Sao， allowing them to deeply immerse themselves in the patriotic fervor of the ancient sages. They also learned to master the art of scenic description by drawing inspiration from the breathtaking beauty of Mount Wushan and the timeless verses of ancient poetry.

Taking Chongqing Stories Home

The Three Gorges Dam is the last stop of this study tour. The children had an unforgettable experience on the ship lift of the Three Gorges Dam， where they had a panoramic view of the Three Gorges Dam area from the observation platform. They also engaged in exploratory research on various themes including the Three Gorges project and its impact on the geographical environment， the surrounding natural ecology， rare fish species， social significance， and literary and cultural aspects.

As the sun sets， children from different countries exchanged heartfelt gifts， serving as a testimony to the friendships forged during this enriching study tour. They eagerly pledged to share the remarkable experiences and anecdotes from this study tour with their families and peers， enlightening more young minds from SCO countries about Chinas stunning natural beauty， historical heritage， and technological advancements.

“The SCO Youth Study Tour Series aims to nurture a deep understanding of the rich cultures， histories， and traditions among the youth of SCO countries， fostering cultural confidence and a sense of identity，” said Hu Kaiqiang， Director-General of the SCO Trade and Economic Platform. He expressed the aspiration for young minds to embrace the noble ideal of “building a beautiful SCO home” from an early age， cultivating an international outlook and global awareness， while igniting innovative thinking， capabilities， and cross-cultural communication skills. The goal is to cultivate the next generation with strong bonds of friendship and familiarity. “We anticipate that through the collaborative efforts of all parties involved， the SCO Youth Study Program will become a hallmark project for cultural exchange among the youth of SCO countries. This program aims to ignite the dreams of young minds， inspire their ambitions， and consolidate their strength， thereby contributing to the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind.”

Photo/SCO Trade and Economic Platform