“Yangtze River Youth Journey” Launches in Nanjing as Chinese and International Students “Read the City” Along the River

On September 19, the launch ceremony for “Yangtze River Youth Journey,” themed “Reading the City,” was held at the Riverside Campus of the Primary Division of Yanziji New Town School Affiliated to Nanjing Normal University High School. Focusing on the preservation of Yangtze River cultural heritage and ecological conservation, the event uses immersive study activities to provide a platform for exchanges between Chinese and international students and expand ways to share Nanjing’s Yangtze River culture with international audiences.

Bilingual hosts and Yangtze River-themed poetry recitals created a lively atmosphere at the launch ceremony. Leaders and guests spoke about strengthening collaborative education and developing study courses covering the natural environment, history and culture, and society and the economy. A study tour map for the Nanjing section of the Yangtze River was also released, marking the official launch of the “Yangtze River Youth Journey” series.

After the ceremony, students attended a lecture on intangible cultural heritage, visited the Yangtze River Culture and Art Museum, and took part in calligraphy and painting, gold foil, and lacquer art activities. The experiences gave Chinese and international students a closer look at Jinling’s riverside cultural heritage and encouraged them to share Yangtze River culture with others. Student representatives then went to Wumadu Wharf for outdoor science activities. Through water sampling, data recording, unmanned boat surveys, and hands-on drone operation, they learned about the science of Yangtze River ecological conservation.

During a study trip aboard a Yangtze River cruise ship, experts explained the river’s hydrology and geology and shared progress in protecting the Yangtze finless porpoise. Chinese and international students sang Song of the Yangtze River together, bringing cultural learning and scientific exploration into the same journey.

The event will continue to bring together resources from across society, develop its Yangtze River cultural study program, and support the development of the Yangtze River National Cultural Park. It also aims to encourage young people to help share Nanjing’s culture with international audiences.