Group photo of Forum officials, guests and Model APEC students

The Canal Culture and Internationalized Talents Literacy Youth Forum

On the morning of August 20 2017, the Canal Culture and Internationalized Talents Literacy Youth Forum was held successfully in Yangzhou. This year’s Forum is co-sponsored by Asia-Pacific Youth Foundation for Communication and Development (APYF) and World Canal Historical and Cultural Cities Cooperative Organization (WCCO), co-organized by 86Links and the Foreign Affairs Office of Yangzhou Municipal People's Government, The Communist Youth League Yangzhou Municipal Party Committee. It supports and aims to lead the youth to experience the canal culture and recognize WCCO’s culture, thus creating an international exchange platform for young people, government officials, entrepreneurs, experts and scholars.

Relevant government and organization officials in attendance

Former Director of the International Department Central Committee of CPC, Americas Bureau,Mdm. Cao Xiaobing, Vice mayor of Yangzhou Mr. Yu Ting,  Chairman of the APYF Tang Jie,  Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of Yangzhou Mr. Zhu Yong, Secretary of the Communist Youth League of Yangzhou Mr. Guo Pengchi, Secretary General of WCCO Deng Qing, Secretary General of MODEL APEC Beth Guo, WCCO Deputy Secretary General Xu Hongxi, Liu Shangjie, Megan Meng, Yangzhou Municipal Bureau of Parks Deputy Secretary Zhao Lan and other government officials attended the forum.

The Forum also invited Singapore’s Economic Development Board Director of Shanghai Office Ng Jing Wen,  General Manager of Huaxun Overseas Helen Han, CEO of Hongkong Caltes Group Liu Tianchen, Deputy Director of Investment Promotion Bureau of Yangzhou Biodiverse & Sci-tech City Gao Shaole, Deputy Director for the Administrative Committee of the Zaolin BayEcological Park Miao Jin, General Manager of Jiangsu Quicklite Technology Development Co. Ltd. Kevin Zhang and other government officials, entrepreneurs to exchange their views at this Forum.

Before the official opening of the Forum, youth Model APEC representatives of various countries first visited the heart of the Grand Canal, appreciated the cultural heritage of the Grand Canal and took a commemorative group photo with the guests.

After the official opening of the Forum, Vice Mayor of Yangzhou Mr. Yu Ting addressed the Forum, extending a welcome to visiting leaders, guests and youths. He introduced Yangzhou and WCCO, hoping that the youths could have a global outlook, promote international cooperation and build a great future.

Vice Mayor Yu Ting giving his speech

Thereafter, WCCO Secretary-General Mdm. Deng Qing then gave an overview of the WCCO, including its mission and the responsibilities it carries. Other than that, Mdm. Deng Qing also expressed her expectations for the youths’ participation in the WCCO and wished success for the 2017 MODEL APEC meeting.

Secretary-General Deng Qing introducing WCCO

Then, WCCO Deputy Secretary General Mdm. Megan Meng explained the background behind this year’s theme and used the famous saying “The world is yours, and is also mine, but in the end it is yours” to depict the mission that youths must carry in regards to the international promotion of canal culture and the international development and interaction of the canal cities.

Deputy Secretary General Meng Yaqi’s interactive speech

After Mdm. Meng Yaqi’s exciting speech, the Forum started its guest interaction segment. Guests shared their views and stories based on their understanding of canal culture and international work experience to help youths better understand canal culture and provide guidance for future development.

Forum guest speakers interactive sharing segment

From this segment, guests also received questions from attending youths and the Facebook live audience. Moderator Mdm. Megan Meng and the guest speakers exchanged further views onstage upon receiving the questions. The topics touched on economic development of the canal cities, tourism and others.

Through this Forum, youths deepened their understanding on canal cities and canal culture and encouraged them to play an even more important role in future international cooperation.

The above was my sharing on the Forum, I believe you might want to understand canal culture more deeply and experience the cultural value and economic value within. Then do follow us for more updates! More interesting canal-related content will be posted here.

Chinese：

大家好~今天我想分享一个我亲身经历的青年论坛给你们。这次论坛让我走近了世界最长运河——京杭大运河，感受到运河文化的魅力。我觉得这是一次非常有意义、有价值的活动，以下是我们对这次活动过程的分享：

运河文化与国际化人才素养青年论坛

2017年8月20日上午，运河文化与国际化人才素养青年论坛在中国扬州成功举办。本次青年论坛由北京市环亚青年交流发展基金会（APYF）与世界运河历史文化城市合作组织（WCCO）共同主办、集商网络科技（上海）有限公司协办，以及扬州市人民政府外事办公室、共青团扬州市委支持，以引领青年感受运河文化，认识WCCO及其承载的时代使命，进而创建青年与政府官员、企业家、专家学者互动的国际交流平台。

中联部美大局原局长曹小冰，扬州市副市长余珽，北京市环亚青年交流发展基金会（APYF）理事长唐杰，扬州市外办主任朱勇，共青团扬州市委书记郭鹏驰，WCCO秘书长邓清，APYF秘书长郭贝思，WCCO副秘书长徐洪喜、刘尚杰、孟雅琦，扬州市园林局副局长赵岚等政府、组织官员出席了本次论坛。

论坛还邀请邀请了新加坡经济发展局上海办公室主任黄静雯、扬州华讯出入境服务有限公司总经理韩蕾、香港嘉迪集团CEO刘天辰、生态科技新城招商局副局长高少乐、仪征枣林湾生态园管委会副主任缪经、江苏新逵凯科技发展有限公司总经理张爱文等政府官员、企业家，共同参与本次论坛互动交流。

论坛正式开始前，各国MODEL APEC的青年选手们首先参观了紧邻京杭大运河的京杭之心，欣赏京杭大运河的文化底蕴，并与各位嘉宾一起合影留念。

论坛正式开始后，扬州市副市长余珽先生首先发表论坛致辞，对到场的领导、嘉宾、青年学生表示欢迎，并向大家介绍了扬州和WCCO，期望青年们能有国际视野，促进国际合作，共建美好未来。

随后，WCCO秘书长邓清女士对WCCO组织的概况、所承载的使命、肩负的责任进行了介绍。另外，邓清秘书长还表达了对青年参与到WCCO的事业中来的期许，并预祝2017MODELAPEC会议取得圆满成功。

接下来，WCCO副秘书长孟雅琦女士对本次论坛议题背景进行了介绍，并引用名言“世界是你们的，也是我们的，但归根结底是你们的。”，来描述青年所承载的运河文化国际化传播、运河城市国际化交流发展的使命。

在孟雅琦副秘书长的精彩演讲下，论坛活动进入嘉宾互动交流环节。本次论坛嘉宾分别从自己对运河文化的理解、国际化的工作经验出发对论坛议题阐述自己的观点、讲述自己的故事。

在论坛的交流互动环节，论坛现场还收到了来自现场青年学生、Facebook网友的在线提问。主持人孟雅琦副秘书长与台上的嘉宾就收到的问题进行更加深入的交流互动。话题内容涉及到运河城市经济发展、运河城市旅游等方面。

本次论坛活动的成功举办，使青年学生加深了对运河城市及运河文化的理解，并促进青年在未来的国际交流事业中扮演更重要的角色。

以上便是我对论坛的分享，相信你一定想更加深入地了解运河文化，以感受其中的文化价值、经济价值。那就请你关注我们的后续更新吧！更多精彩运河相关的内容即将到来。