Online symposium lauds youthful approach

Du Zhanyuan, director of the China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration, said young people have long been playing an essential role in pushing forward cultural innovation and multilateral cooperation.

Du said 32 percent of the world's entire population are Generation Z－born between 1996 and 2010. The generation growing up in the digital age is open-minded, creative and capable of using advanced technologies to conduct exchanges across a diverse cultural spectrum.

"Last year, young people took the responsibility to address the challenges brought by the pandemic," he said, adding that among the 42,000 medical workers who fought at the front line against the pandemic in Hubei province, about 12,000 were born after 1990.

"I was moved by the scenes of young people shouldering their responsibilities and performing their duties in the hospitals, communities, factories and transportation industry to control the spread of the virus," he said.

Du encouraged young people to actively facilitate mutual understanding between countries and make joint efforts to address global challenges. He said the administration will set up larger platforms for young people to communicate with each other, to be empowered and to put their best foot forward.

Bokova pointed out that the key for the younger generation to build a better world lies in embracing sustainability, cultural diversity, innovation and creativity.

"They should seek a greater knowledge of other people through education and show respect for human dignity and the culture of others," she said.

Students from Tsinghua University, University of Southern California and other universities also joined the dialogue to put forth questions on issues they care about to the aforementioned attendees.