Cross-strait Reunion for Sustainable Development

On July 2nd, the opening ceremony of 2013 Cross-Strait Youth Camp with a theme of “Sustainable Development and Youth Responsibility” was held at USTB, with nearly 300 teachers and students from 17 Taiwanese universities and 3 mainland universities in attendance.

Prof. GuuYuankuang, President of National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Prof. Cheng Taoming, Vice President of Chaoyang University of Technology, Mr. Zhao Lingshan, Director of the Office for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs Ministry of Education,Prof. LuoWeidong, Chancellor of USTB, Prof. Zhang Xinxin, President of USTB, Prof. Xiehui, Vice Chancellor, and numerous other high-level officialsattended the ceremony. The ceremony was presided over by President Zhang Xinxin.

In his welcome remarks, Chancellor LuoWeidong extended his warm welcome and thanks to all the teachers and students taking part in the camp. With a perspective that young people should play an even greater role in promoting sustainable development, he hoped that students on both sides of the strait could communicate more in the camp, think deeply and learn from each other. Hopefully, he said, they could become practitioners and even leaders of sustainable developmentin their studies, work and lives in the future.

Director Zhao Lingshan, from the Office for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan affairs Ministry of Education, spoke highly of the Cross-StraiT Youth Camp hosted by USTB in his speech. He said that the Ministry of Education was supportive of this kind of program which, as a cross-strait educational exchange and cooperation program, benefitted teachers and students from both the mainland and Taiwan. He also explained the importanceof cross-strait educational exchanges, and how important their role has been in the past.

Lin Zixiang from the Taipei University of Technology and Zhang Wenjia from USTB delivered speeches on behalf of the students respectively. Lin made a comparison between students from Taiwan and from the mainland based on his own experience as an exchange student at USTB, and shared his views on sustainable development. Zhang, speaking from the perspective of young people, talked about the responsibility and role of young students in promoting the sustainable development of society, and used specific cases to show the efforts that USTB students had madein environmental protection.

The keynote speeches of this ceremony were given by President GuuYuankuang of National Pingtung University of Science and Technology and Prof. Qin Jingyan from USTB. President Guuspoke about theinspiring experiences he had withsustainable development inagriculture withhis speech, combined with an introduction of the main features of his university. In speakingof sustainable designs, Prof. Qin, advocated a new concept of life and a new ways of living that are environment-friendly and sustainable.

In the afternoon, Prof. Yan Geng from Beijing Forestry University was invited to deliver a lecture. He spoke of the latest achievements of China in the field of sustainable development that impacted both the ecologicalneeds of the country andthe broader needs of the world.

During the one-week camp, teachers and students will visit many tourist sites in Beijing, such as the Great Wall, the Imperial Palace, 798 Arts District and the Olympic Forest Park. Along with the experience of these visits, they will explore news ways to promote the sustainable development of society.

Back to top