Sharing China's heritage at Osaka Expo
Heartbeats sync and stories unfold as volunteers bring a shared human spirit to life at one of the world's biggest cultural gatherings.
At the Luxembourg Pavilion, Dong experienced something that, to him, perfectly captured the spirit of the Expo. One interactive installation invited visitors to synchronize their heartbeats into a single rhythm using handheld devices. As the collective pulse echoed through the darkened theater, Dong felt a profound sense of unity.
"It didn't matter who you were — your race, nationality, or economic background. In that moment, everyone in that space felt something deeply human," he said.
"I believe the merging heartbeats were a metaphor for a future world where people are connected not by their differences but by a common purpose and shared destiny."
Looking back on his journey, Dong said that finally realizing his childhood dream of attending a World Expo made everything worthwhile.
"This volunteer experience opened my eyes to new possibilities," he said. "As a Japanese major, I feel more motivated than ever to keep building my skills and use them to tell compelling stories about China to the world."
