Asia Pacific Youth Dialogue concludes in Chengdu

The First Asia Pacific Youth Dialogue was wrapped up in Chengdu, Sichuan Province on Sept. 23 after a three-day heated discussion among some 200 young elites from the Asia-Pacific region.

Centered around topics like promoting positive peace, combating extremism, facilitating environmental sustainability and advancing youth social development, youth delegates from 46 countries offered their own ideas and opinions at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC).

"Voice of Asia Youth - Suggestions from Asian Pacific Youth Dialogue" will be submitted to the Asia Civilizations Dialogue Forum (ACDF) and the 10th UNESCO Youth Forum, the organizer says.

The event coincides with the call of the country's policymakers to boost regional cooperation and development, as President Xi Jinping proposed in a speech last year at the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA). This, he said, could act as a platform to enhance interactions among young people, local communities and the media and to form a network of cooperation.

"The ideas from young people are likely to provide some food for thought for policymakers," said Li Yanrong, president of UESTC.

He also insisted that "we should instill values in the youth first in order to build a world where different civilizations can coexist harmoniously."

"Young people might have limited power to change the world, but this kind of discussion around such important topics could help improve them and enrich their understanding about different civilizations and the world as a whole," said Robert H. Xiao, CEO of Perfect World, an online gaming giant and sponsor of the event.

Speaking about his takeaways from the event, Sagar Kumar, a delegate from Pakistan, said that dialogue with his peers from different civilizations expanded his horizons and taught him about their different ways of viewing and solving problems.

The event, co-organized by UNESCO, UESTC and Perfect World Education, aimed to come up with recommendations on the nexus between Asia Pacific civilizations, cultures, social cohesion, respect for diversity and peacebuilding; and engaging youth as agents of change and custodians of the future regionally and internationally.