On the morning of June 27, the opening ceremony of the Chinese National Culture Study Camp was held at the Guanggu Art Museum of SCMU. The event, organized by the Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs Office of theNationalEthnic Affairs Commission and hosted by SCMU, brought together key figures from both sides of the Taiwan Strait.Wei Guoxiong, Director of the Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs Office of theNationalEthnic Affairs Commission, representatives from Taiwan’s Dong Hwa University, SCMU President Li Jinlin, Vice President Fang Debin, along with leaders from the School of Fine Arts and the Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs Office, and camp instructors attended the opening ceremony. Vice President Fang Debin presided over the ceremony.

President Li Jinlin warmly welcomed the faculty and students from Taiwan’s Dong Hwa University. In his speech, he briefly introduced SCMU’s history, reviewed the decade-long cooperation with Dong Hwa University, and highlighted the rich cultural heritage of Hubei province. He expressed hope that this study camp would serve as a platform for young students from both universities to forge friendships, exchange ideas, and learn from each other through artistic co-creation, encouraging them to become guardians, inheritors, and promoters of Chinese culture.

Professor Liao Qinghua from the Department of Arts and Design at Dong Hwa University shared heartwarming stories of cross-strait youth exchanges. He emphasized the importance of learning, observing, and communicating extensively during the upcoming 8-day program to build more bridges of friendship across the Taiwan Strait.In his address, Wei Guoxiong stressed that young people from both sides of the Strait should approach Chinese culture with greater confidence and stronger self-awareness. He encouraged them to understand, learn, identify with, and take pride in Chinese culture, enhancing their sense of purpose, integrity, and self-assurance as Chinese. Wei hoped that Taiwan’s youth would seize this opportunity to become practitioners, contributors, and beneficiaries of cross-strait cultural exchange and integrated development.

Group photo of the camp members.

Photo byHong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs Office

The 8-day study camp features a diverse range of activities, including lectures on ethnic culture, workshops on intangible cultural heritage arts, visits to historical sitesof Chu culture, cultural and creative activities, and collaborative projects in national trend art.This immersive program aims to deepen cross-strait cultural understanding and foster lasting connections between young people from both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Edited by Liu Qiong, reviewed by Lei Changsheng, June 25, 2024