A celebration of cultures

International students from countries including India, Madagascar, Russia and Tajikistan at the University of International Business and Economics on Thursday attend the 8th International Culture Festival in Beijing, dancing, playing music instruments and selling their countries' souvenirs.

"The Chinese are passionate people, and cultural-exchange activities like this will surely let us better know each other," says Moscow native Irina Gogolodze, who plans to work in international trade in Beijing after completing her postgraduate program.

The 23-year-old is also the president of Beijing's Russian Students Association, which hosts such weekly events as readings, lectures and karaoke.

She has witnessed a surge in young people coming to study and work in China over the past half decade, and believes this improves bilateral relationships.

UIBE's president, Wang Jiaqiong, says: "Our university has remained committed to advocating that young people act as pioneers of the Belt and Road Initiative. We encourage them to play more active roles in it by hearing their voices."

The Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China and the UIBE set up the Belt and Road Collaborative Development Center for students in 2015.

Its "Silk Road, New World: Youth, China Dream" events have been joined by students from more than 400 universities, including Tsinghua, Fudan and Xi'an Jiaotong, in 24 provinces.