Young voices drive SCO innovation and culture

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), guided by the "Shanghai Spirit" of mutual trust and benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations, and pursuit of common development, has become a key force in building a multipolar world and promoting unity across the Global South.

Young people across SCO countries are making their voices heard. A recent China Daily survey found that 95.94 percent of respondents — both Chinese and overseas youth — see the organization as a significant and influential regional platform.

Their top priorities are cultural exchange (84.64 percent), scientific and technological innovation (80.58 percent), and education and training (66.67 percent).

These results show that youth are not passive observers — they are eager to shape the SCO's future in ways that reflect their own priorities.

Green growth and technology are high on their agenda. Some 95.36 percent of respondents believe the SCO will deliver actionable solutions for sustainable, low-emission development, and 95.65 percent expect its efforts to accelerate AI collaboration to strengthen the region's scientific and technological innovation capabilities.

Cultural exchange is seen as a bridge of understanding. Young people want to connect through language, art, film, and festivals, breaking down stereotypes along the way. They are natural ambassadors of dialogue between civilizations and advocates of mutual appreciation.

Innovation fuels their ambitions. In fields such as AI, green energy, and the digital economy, young people are not just learners — they are pioneers. They hope to align personal goals with social contribution through cross-border cooperation.

Education is their ladder of growth. Whether through studying abroad, joint training programs, or online courses, young people are eager to broaden their horizons and enhance their competitiveness. They call for a more open and interconnected regional education community.

Employment, though mentioned less frequently, remains vital. Young people seek stronger skills and wider opportunities. They see cross-border collaboration as a pathway to greater development once the supporting mechanisms are in place.

The SCO has begun to respond. In recent years, it has hosted youth exchange camps to promote mutual visits and understanding, advanced the SCO University and its alliances to explore credit recognition and joint degrees, supported innovation contests and entrepreneurship forums, and established a Youth Council to provide a platform for policy dialogue.

These initiatives are sowing seeds of collaboration — but for youth to feel truly empowered, participation must go beyond observation. They need to become drivers of change.

The SCO is still young. An organization's vitality lies in its ability to attract and empower the next generation. When young people find belonging, active participation, and achievement on the SCO stage — and when the SCO is energized by their creativity and initiative — they become its driving force, and the organization becomes fertile ground for their growth.

This is how the Shanghai Spirit lives on today — through youthful energy that builds bridges across nations and contributes to a community with a shared future for humanity.

Written by Sun Yixue, dean of the International School at Tongji University in Shanghai. His research focuses on comparative literature, world literature, and the international dissemination of Chinese culture. He has conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Edinburgh in the UK and has been a senior visiting scholar at the University of Virginia and Arizona State University in the US.

From Aug 31 to Sept 1, Tianjin will host the 25th meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). Leaders from member states, observer countries, and international organizations are expected to attend, with discussions covering security, economic cooperation, digital innovation, and sustainable growth.

Earlier this month, Tianjin also staged a Kaleidoscope Cultural Bazaar, where hundreds of young people from SCO nations shared music, crafts, and performances — highlighting the growing role of youth exchange in strengthening people-to-people ties.