Photo: Deng Xiaoci/GT

TheMK sports Korea Eighth Belt and Road Teenagers Makers Camp and Teacher Workshop kicked off on Tuesday afternoon in Kunming, Southwest China's Yunnan Province. Distinguished guests from all over the world shared their personal experiences with the Global Times on the sidelines of this multilateral event, held under the framework of China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). They praised it as an invaluable platform for addressing practical issues in local education sectors and promoting people-to-people exchanges.

This year's Belt and Road Teenagers Makers Camp and Teacher Workshop, the eighth edition since it started in 2017, is organized by the China Association of Science and Technology, China's Ministry of Science and Technology, Yunnan provincial government. Nearly 300 educational professionals and students from over 30 countries, a record high, are participating the event running from July 23 to 28. 

It is my fourth time to participant in this event, and the cutting-edge science that students engage in at very young ages has remained for me the most inspiring and most impressive, Jackie Kado, executive director of the Kenya-based Network of African Science Academies (NASAC), which is the umbrella organization for 30 science academies in Africa, told the Global Times. 

According to Kado, there are difficulties in developing science education in Africa as people believe that science is a difficult subject that only boys can pursue. Additionally, the capacity of science laboratories with relevant scientific equipment to motivate learning in schools has remained limited. Furthermore, it is hard to build a high earning career, making it difficult to attract young people.

China-Africa cooperation can improve science education in Africa by cultivating a culture of exchange among students and experts. Such exchanges open doors to more opportunities for both students and teachers to collaborate to overcome a myriad of challenges in science and technology, she said.

She remarked that there are resources and skills that are uniquely available in either China or Africa that can add value to different scientific fields and spur the innovative potential of students of science.

Young participants from Tunisia and Sri Lanka pose for a picture at the opening ceremony of the Eighth Belt and Road Teenagers Makers Camp and Teacher Workshop on July 23, 2024 in Kunming, Southwest China's Yunnan Province. Photos: Deng Xiaoci/GT

Manzoor H Soomro, winner of the Chinese Government Friendship Award in 2020 and vice-president of the Belt and Road International Science Education Consortium (BRISEC), has been a key force behind the camp since its inception in 2017. This year marks his eighth participation.

"I really love the Chinese approach and development. In the Western world, developed countries often feel superior. But in the East, there is a wisdom that keeps you humble and open to collaboration, much like the original Belt and Road story where people learned from each other, fostering much science and technology," he told the Global Times.

Commenting on the significance of the youth camp under the BRI, Manzoor emphasized that people-to-people exchanges carry their own momentum. These interactions go beyond formal economic cooperation and collaboration.

"The younger generation is the future," Manzoor noted. "Today's teenagers are tomorrow's leaders, and this camp helps them build networks. Not all participants will pursue science and technology - some will enter administration, finance, foreign affairs, policy-making, and other fields. The connections and trust they build as children will be invaluable."

He continued, "When they become national leaders, the understanding and networks they formed will help build businesses and mutual benefits. Globally, they can also work together for betterment at the UN level."

"The beauty of science and technology diplomacy is that it focuses on issues and solutions universally, without political interference. With this mindset, even in politics, they will think positively and pursue cooperation. Connecting with the younger generation will sustain this mindset, institutionalizing it," he said.

Photo: Deng Xiaoci/GT

 

Photo: Deng Xiaoci/GT