U.S. Box Elder School District Delegation Visits Jiujiang, Nurturing China-U.S. Friendship Through Youthful Exchanges

From June 5 to 7, a delegation of over 30 teachers and students from Box Elder School District, Utah, United States, visited Jiujiang, Jiangxi Province, for an immersive cultural exchange. Through site visits, cultural experiences, and community interactions, the delegation gained firsthand insight into traditional Chinese culture and the distinctive charm of Jiujiang, while deepening mutual understanding and friendship between young people from China and the United States.

The delegation first visited the Jiujiang Territorial Space Planning Exhibition Hall, the Yangtze River National Cultural Park (Jiujiang Section), and the Pipa Pavilion, witnessing firsthand the city’s economic and social development and experiencing its rich historical and cultural heritage. At Jiujiang Vocational University, the students took part in a hands-on workshop on traditional tie-dyeing, a nationally recognized item of China’s intangible cultural heritage. Under the guidance of instructors, they created their own dyed textile artworks and experienced the creativity and craftsmanship that have been passed down through generations. Later, the delegation also visited rural communities in the Jiujiang countryside. They learned to make dumplings and Zongzi from local villagers, experienced local customs and everyday rural life, and enjoyed warm exchanges with community members. On Mount Lu, the delegation enjoyed the picturesque scenery of UNESCO World Heritage cultural landscape, visited the Pearl S. Buck Photo Exhibition and the Lushan Botanical Garden, learning about the historical connections between Jiujiang and the United States and the long-standing people-to-people exchanges that have linked the two sides across generations. They also participated in interactive performances of traditional folk customs such as Xihe Opera (a national intangible cultural heritage) in Jiujiang, gaining a closer look at the richness, diversity and enduring vitality of Chinese culture.

Youth are the future of a nation, and also the future of China-U.S. people-to-people friendship. In recent years, Jiujiang has actively expanded youth exchange programs with the United States in line with the vision that the hope of China-U.S. relations lies in the people, its foundation is in our societies, its future depends on the youth, and the vitality comes from local exchanges. Responding to the initiative to invite 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study programs over a five-year period, the city has hosted a variety of educational and cultural exchange activities, creating valuable opportunities for American students to gain a firsthand, authentic and multidimensional understanding of contemporary China. By bringing young people together through direct interaction and immersive cultural experiences, programs such as this help break down stereotypes and prejudices, build mutual trust and understanding, and strengthen the social foundations of China-U.S. relations. The visit injected fresh vitality into youth friendship and people-to-people exchanges, further contributing to mutual understanding and friendship between the two countries.