From October 27 to 29, 2022, the Together for Youth Foundation in Serbia hosted the first International Youth Summit online. Five students from the School of Juris Master, HE Jiner, YU Luoyan, LI Xiaolei, LIU Bingrui, and REN Yiran, participated in the summit.

The summit featured over 10 topics covering a wide range of fields, including culture, ideology, politics, economics, the internet, healthcare and environmental protection. Young participants from different countries and regions delivered keynote speeches and engaged in in-depth discussions on global hot topics. LIU Bingrui, a student enrolled in 2022 in the full-time foreign-related lawyer program, shared his insights during the discussion session on environmental protection. He started from the 10 major environmental challenges the world faced before 2022 and highlighted the significant role of the youth in tackling these challenges. In his concluding remarks, he introduced the important scientific assertion by General Secretary XI Jinping regarding environmental protection “Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets.” He also emphasized China’s sense of responsibility as a major country in global environmental protection.

All students said that they gained valuable insights from attending the summit, and have a better understanding of the responsibilities and duties of the young. Here are these students’ thoughts.

HE Jiner (Master student enrolled in 2021)

Among the various topics discussed, the one that resonated with me the most was agriculture. China is a populous country, and its agriculture has an important bearing on the well-being of its people. After Prof. Yuan Longping passed away last year, I further understood the research and development of China’s hybrid rice and other agricultural products. The prolonged battle against the pandemic also made me realize that, even in the 21st century, agriculture still deserves ample attention. Otherwise, it can pose a major threat to people’s lives. China has always attached great importance to agriculture, setting the redline for arable land, emphasizing production and protecting basic cropland. These efforts have laid a solid foundation for the long-term development of our country and the world. Viewing this issue in light of China’s national conditions provides a unique perspective for the Chinese people.

Another topic I find interesting is the energy crisis. In recent years, frequent human activities have posed severer challenges to the ecological environment. The news of power rationing in Northeast China last year and the power failure in Sichuan and Chongqing this summer is a fine testament. The relationship between humans and the environment needs to be improved. In the post-industrial era, young people need to ponder on how to reshape a healthy and friendly relationship between man and nature.

This summit covered issues ranging from youth themselves to the international community. I was fortunate to listen to the thoughts and ideas of young people around the world. Although I couldn’t participate in all the discussions in person, this invaluable experience is still a treasure for me. I am grateful to CUPL for providing this opportunity for me, and I will integrate the knowledge I gained from this summit into my studies and daily life for continuous improvement.

YU Luoyan (Master student enrolled in 2021)

I am honored to participate in this summit, and each discussion was captivating and left a strong impression on me. The UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres once stated in his speech in 2020, “The World needs young people to keep speaking out, keep thinking big, keep pushing boundaries and keep up the pressure.” In this ever-changing era, young people will shoulder the mission and responsibility of building a better future for humanity. By actively exploring and making a difference, we can align our personal endeavors with social development, so as to showcase the spirit of youth, fulfil our responsibilities, and contributing our energy.

On the future journey, young people will walk hand in hand with the world. Every shout and action will become a tremendous force to fuel changes in the world. I believe that young people of the new era will bravely take up the baton of building a better world. We will become young leaders with a strong sense of social responsibility and forge ahead with determination. As the movie “Dune” said, “A great man doesn’t seek to lead. He’s called to do it. And he answers.”

LI Xiaolei (Master student enrolled in 2022)

I feel extremely honored to be part of the first Serbian International Youth Summit. Although the summit lasted only two to three days, it covered a wide range of topics such as food, education, media and technology. It was truly a feast of ideas. Among them, the issue that touched me the most was female status. Gender inequality remains an urgent problem in our era. Not all girls around the world enjoy the same right to receive education as boys. In the workplace, gender discrimination causes unfairness, such as the gender pay gap and limited promotion opportunities for women. As the new generation of youth, we are participants and builders of the future society with certain missions and responsibilities. The world requires profound changes, and youth can inject fresh blood to that process. We can contribute our due part to equal rights for men and women.

LIU Bingrui (Master student enrolled in 2022)

I attended the forum on “Open World: The Vision of Young People”, which encompassed a wide range of thought-provoking topics. For instance, an Indian delegate shared his arduous entrepreneurial journey when he was young, “An open world means following your heart and staying determined.” Another Indian delegate told a story of himself experiencing numerous failures, “An open world means braving mistakes.” Additionally, a Russian delegate highlighted the grave consequences of World War II, asserting that war is never a solution, while peace is. A professor from Zhejiang University discussed China’s progress in internationalizing youth education and underscored its significance for the nation.

The delegate that impressed me the most was Henrique Domingues from Brazil. He said, “An open world is where every young person and child can access their rights equally and realize their potential; it is a place where youth poverty is eradicated. However, in some places near us, weapons and tanks are being sent to Ukraine, while no tangible economic assistance reaches South Africa or other impoverished regions.”

A thought-provoking remark from one of the conference guests resonated with me, “In an open world, you may witness injustice and conflicts, but you know well deep in your heart that you are the only agent of change if you aspire to change the world.”

REN Yiran (Master student enrolled in 2022)

“Open World: The Vision of Young People” was the theme of this year’s International Youth Summit. It inspired us to communicate with each other and share our perspectives and insights into certain issues and future trends, and encouraged us to think about these problems from different cultural backgrounds. I am really grateful to the School of Juris Master for giving me the chance to participate in this event and think about the challenges we face from an international perspective. Despite the limitations imposed by various factors, online participation still allowed me to learn about the views of young people from different countries and cultures regarding the world situation. After several days of discussions, what impressed me the most was not a particular speech, but the vibrant energy I felt from the young participants. Faced with the unknown challenges of the world and uncertainties about the future, the youth did not retreat. Instead, they confronted these challenges head-on by expressing their views on the world situation and reflecting on their own roles and values. I believe that this is the most touching aspect of this year’s youth forum.