The 16th Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) Chinese Bridge Summer Camp: You and Me, in Beijing opened on July 16.

Co-hosted by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation under China's Ministry of Education and BFSU, and organized by the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, this year's camp welcomes 58 students and teachers from Austria, Bulgaria, and Belgium.

BFSU Vice-President Zhao Gang delivers a speech at the opening ceremony. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

At the opening ceremony, Zhao Gang, BFSU’s vice-president, highlighted that this summer camp is a flagship program of BFSU's international Chinese language education, dedicated to connecting youth worldwide and fostering mutual understanding between civilizations.

He acknowledged that over the years, the program has welcomed nearly 2,000 overseas young people to study in China. He encouraged campers to embrace the experience, actively participate in activities, find connection amid differences, and seek resonance through understanding.

Bilyana Mladenova Isaeva, a lead teacher from the Sofia Confucius Institute in Bulgaria, shared her personal journey of connecting with China and dedicating herself to Confucius Institute work. She urged campers to seize this opportunity to broaden their horizons and create unforgettable summer memories.

Naomi Uprimny, a student from the Confucius Institute at the University of Vienna, and Nicolas Laureyn, a student from the Confucius Institute at the University of Liège in Belgium, also addressed the audience. Both shared their stories of learning Chinese and discovering China, expressed excitement about camp life, and voiced hopes of making new friends, deepening their understanding of China, and becoming young ambassadors of cross-cultural friendship.

Following the speeches, attending guests presented camp flags to team representatives and gifted books to team leaders.

Participants of the summer camp pose for a group photo. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

The BFSU Chinese Bridge Summer Camp is one of BFSU's signature international exchange programs, built on the university's excellence in international Chinese language teaching, foreign language education resources, and rich experience in organizing cultural activities. Through diverse and interactive events, the camp creates a vibrant platform for Chinese and international youth to engage, learn, and grow together.