The Norwegian Chinese Friendship Association was founded with a main mission to facilitate people-to-people exchanges and efforts will continue to focus on youth exchanges. Such exchanges fosters a deeper appreciation of different cultures, customs, and traditions and build lasting connections with peers from other countries, fostering future collaborations and contributing to more peaceful and cooperative international relations.

Youth exchanges between countries, particularly with China, have become increasingly important for fostering mutual understanding and cultural exchange. These programs not only provide opportunities for young people to learn about different cultures but also contribute to building stronger international relationships and there are numerous examples of these.

Our exchanges will involve educational components, enhancing participants knowledge in various fields like technology and science and build on success models.

China is now putting a major emphasis on the impact of such exchanges and e.g. plans to host 50,000 young Americans over the coming five years. This initiative has already hosted about 14,000 Americans, providing them with exposure to Chinese culture and society. Another success model is the ASEAN-China Youth Exchange Camp conducted by the ASEAN Foundation and China which brings together talented students from ASEAN countries and China. Participants engage in educational and cultural activities to deepen ASEAN-China relations

Working closely with our partner the Chinese Friendship Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and Chinese and Norwegian local governments we hope to build on these and other success stories.

Soon more to come.