Mountains and Seas Unite for Friendship: China and New Zealand Join Hands for the Future——Successful Exchange Event for New Zealand Secondary School Students Held in Shenyang-Activities- 沈阳市人民政府外事办公室

Mountains and Seas Unite for Friendship: China and New Zealand Join Hands for the Future——Successful Exchange Event for New Zealand Secondary School Students Held in Shenyang

时间：2026-04-24 撰稿人：供稿部门：Shenyang Foreign Affairs Office

To deepen people-to-people exchanges between China and New Zealand and promote cultural mutual learning among young people, with the active support of Shenyang Foreign Affairs Office and Shenyang Education Bureau, a delegation of 12 secondary school students from Tauranga, New Zealand, visited Shenyang Foreign Affairs Service School on April 10th. Together with the school’s teachers and students, they took part in a youth cultural exchange event themed “Cultural Mutual Learning, Youth in Action”. With the vitality of youth as a bond, the event helped build a solid bridge of friendship between the peoples of China and New Zealand.

At the welcoming ceremony, young people from both countries performed dances together, their confident smiles and vibrant energy quickly bridging any distance and setting a warm, friendly tone for the entire event. During the cultural experience sessions, the delegation immersed themselves in activities such as calligraphy writing of the character “Fu” (fortune), intangible cultural heritage Songjin brocade making, creative jam painting, and Song dynasty-style tea whisking. Through these activities, they appreciated the beauty of Chinese characters, experienced the millennia-old heritage of intangible cultural crafts, savored the elegance of traditional Chinese living, and felt the profound charm of Chinese tea culture. The works they completed with their own hands became treasured memories of Chinese culture for the New Zealand teenagers. At the conclusion, young people from both countries shared songs and dances, presenting a lively and wonderful artistic performance.

The leader of the New Zealand delegation remarked that the exchange was rich in content and engaging in format, allowing the children to truly experience the charm of Chinese culture and plant the seeds of China-New Zealand friendship in their hearts. One participating New Zealand student said that the trip to Shenyang gave them a deeper understanding of Chinese culture and the international metropolis of Shenyang, broadened their global perspective, and allowed them to gain precious friendships.

This exchange event is a vivid example of Shenyang's efforts to expand educational openness and promote friendly interactions between Chinese and foreign youth. Looking ahead, Shenyang Foreign Affairs Office will continue to act as a bridge, building more platforms for international youth exchanges, strengthening the foundation of people-to-people friendship, and contributing to Shenyang's high-level opening-up and high-quality development.