East China's Jiangsu province held the 2021 Belt and Road Youth Sport Exchange Week from Dec 2 to 8 to enhance cultural exchanges among youths from countries along the Belt and Road, as well as develop the initiative.
The event comprised a basketball game, orienteering, outdoor sports like baseball, Frisbee and curling, as well as cultural activities. Over 500 international students had signed up for the event. Due to the ongoing pandemic, only 209 of these students who live in Nanjing, the capital of the province, were selected to participate in the event.
Indonesian Consul General in Shanghai Deny W. Kurnia said in a video address that the event is expected to build a platform for international youths to show their athletic strengths and learn about different cultures.
A Turcoman student who studies at Southeast University said the Belt and Road Initiative has brought opportunities and prosperity to countries involved in it, including Turkmenistan. The BRI is not only about infrastructure and trade, but also about exchanges in respects of history, education, culture and sports, said the student.
The first edition of the Belt and Road Youth Sport Exchange Week was held in the province in 2020.
