Wei Jie

claudiamente@hotmail.com

TEN international youth teams began an exciting journey Sunday through HUA HUB’s inaugural Youth Co-Creation Camp. The 10 teams were selected from a field of 119 groups worldwide that submitted 129 proposals after the recruitment period opened June 14.

The camp’s first iteration is themed on sustainable, internationalized neighborhoods. Over the next two months, the 50-plus participants from 11 countries and regions will focus on projects in high-quality international urban design and sustainable development.

On Sunday, the participants gathered online to discuss urban sustainable development based on five major themes: transportation hubs, urban landscapes, commercial buildings/industrial parks, cultural tourism towns, and characteristic communities.

At the end of the program, their proposals and action plans will be piloted in three sustainable international neighborhoods in Shenzhen.

During the opening ceremony, Zhang Wei, assistant representative of the U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) China Office, said the camp encourages participants to use the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a compass to immerse themselves in real communities, engage with residents, and co-create solutions with empathy. The goal, Zhang added, is to transform public spaces, low-carbon neighborhoods, and transportation hubs into cross-generational and cross-cultural gateways.

Vasu Jindal, who grew up in both India and the U.S., told Shenzhen Daily yesterday that he is impresed by Shenzhen’s openness and energy.

Giulia Baldi, who holds dual citizenship in Switzerland and Italy, said that this camp allows her to combine her interests in intercultural collaboration and empowerment while learning from others who share the same drive.

“Having the opportunity to connect, exchange ideas with, and be supported by experienced mentors from various fields is incredibly empowering.”

The UNDP Sustainable Development Innovation Demonstration Project (Shenzhen, Longhua) is a joint initiative involving the UNDP, the China International Economic and Technical Exchange Center (under the Ministry of Commerce), and the Longhua District Government of Shenzhen.

HUA HUB, established as part of the demonstration project, is dedicated to linking global innovation networks to explore innovative policies, pathways, and localized solutions for sustainable development in super-large cities. Since launching in August 2024, HUA HUB has played a pivotal role in enabling enterprise internationalization, building sustainable innovation networks, and empowering international youth development.

In the coming week, the camp will host intensive capacity-building training sessions led by experts from international organizations, research institutions, and government agencies. These sessions will cover topics including Longhua’s internationalized neighborhood development and global case studies of sustainable urban districts.