Asian Youth Cultural Exchange Program was held in the China Soong Ching Ling Science and Culture Exchange Center for Young People on May 16. The program was organized by All-China Youth Federation and China Soong Ching Ling Foundation. Around 200 teenagers came to Beijing to participate in the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations on behalf of 13 Asian countries. Hang Yuanxiang, executive vice-chairman of China Soong Ching Ling Foundation, visited the center to meet with some of the young representatives and communicate with the participants experiencing traditional Chinese culture. Hang welcomed the teens and then introduced to them the life of Soong Ching Ling as well as the exchange program.

President Xi Jinping delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations. Xi spoke highly of the brilliant achievements of Asian civilizations and put forward a four-point proposal on strengthening exchanges and learning among different civilizations.

It is believed that this program will further promote cultural exchanges and learning among Asian countries, and that young people can have in-depth exchanges as the hope of Asia and the world to build a community of Shared future for Asia and the world at large.

Shen Zhiqiang, deputy minister of youth and sports of Malaysia, expressed his thanks to the foundation for their kind reception. He also said that different civilizations should coexist in harmony instead of colliding. It is a great opportunity to have this program in which the teens strengthened their understanding of Chinese culture and deepened their friendship with Chinese people through experiencing Chinese opera.

In addition, the teens experienced traditional Chinese culture in the quintessence space of tea ceremony, calligraphy, Peking Opera, wood art, printing and dyeing, gagaku, embroidery and traditional Chinese medicine museum. Many said that they felt the charm of Chinese traditional culture through this program. After returning, they would like to share their wonderful experiences in China with their families and friends.

Later, the teens watched a performance of Asian youth drama and appreciated the performances of Chinese Peking Opera, Japanese kabuki, and dance performed by teens from ASEAN.

Some officials from the foundation and the center also took part in the program.