The opening ceremony for the 2025 “China Root-Seeking Journey” Summer Camp (Shaanxi Session) took place on the afternoon of July 24 at the Academic Hall of the Conference Center on Yanta Campus, where Shaanxi Overseas Friendship Association Chairman Li Mingyuan presided over the flag presentation ceremony. Distinguished attendees included Shaanxi Overseas Chinese Federation Vice Chairperson Shang Xiaohong, Shaanxi Overseas Friendship Association Vice Chairman Wang Yongjun, Xi’an Overseas Chinese Federation Chairman Zhang Tianqi, along with university leadership comprising Party Secretary Chang Jiang, Vice President Zhang Rongjun and senior administrative representatives.
At the opening ceremony, Party Secretary Chang Jiang delivered a welcoming address to all summer camp participants. He highlighted Xi’an’s unique historical significance as a 13-dynasty ancient capital and the starting point of the Silk Road, while also showcasing our university’s distinctive international education programs. Expressing his hopes for the campers, he said the summer camp would allow them to immerse themselves in Xi’an’s local culture, appreciate the enduring brilliance of Chinese civilization, witness China’s developmental achievements firsthand and build lasting friendships through cross-cultural exchanges with peers from around the world.
In his address, Wang Yongjun emphasized that Shaanxi serves not only as the historic capital of numerous dynasties including Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang, boasting abundant cultural heritage, but also stands at the forefront of contemporary China’s technological advancement and development, embodying the vitality of openness. He earnestly encouraged the campers to deeply immerse themselves in Chinese civilization and the culture of Shaanxi during the camp, and to become promoters of cultural exchanges and inheritors of people-to-people friendship.
Representing the delegation leaders and camp participants respectively, Spain’s Sigil and Germany’s Shijiaman delivered addresses expressing their eager anticipation for the Xi’an experience.
During the cultural performance segment, Korean-Chinese youth presented a vibrant kuaiban (Chinese rhythmic storytelling) piece titled Ode to Chinese Civilization. With spirited rhythms and dynamic delivery, they vividly recounted China’s historic achievements and groundbreaking technological inventions, brilliantly demonstrating the enduring brilliance of Chinese cultural heritage.
The summer camp is hosted by the China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, co-organized by the Shaanxi Provincial Overseas Chinese Federation and Xi’an Shiyou University, with support from the municipal overseas Chinese federations of Xi’an, Xianyang, Tongchuan and Weinan. Ninety ethnic Chinese teenagers and team leaders from nine countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Japan, and South Korea, will begin their 10-day intensive cultural exchange program in Shaanxi with profound yearning for their ancestral homeland. Through experiences such as exploring intangible cultural heritage techniques, visiting places of historical interest, and touring high-tech enterprises, participants will gain a better understanding of Chinese culture and national conditions. They will further appreciate the allure of China’s fine traditional culture and the motherland’s remarkable achievements, while contributing the strength of the overseas Chinese community to build a strong nation and national rejuvenation.
