Hong Kong colleges start to see the benefits of cultural exchange
Colleges and universities are beginning to see the benefits of cultural exchange. But there is still a way to go
Towards the end of the Sino Japan Youth Conference last month, youngsters from Hong Kong, the mainland and Japan put themselves in the shoes of negotiators from their countries in a "diplomacy simulation session" which exposed them to sensitive issues from different perspectives.
The participants discussed significant historical events like the first Sino-Japanese war and the Nanking massacre, as well as the more recent regional disputes over the Diaoyu Islands. They also spoke out on topics like the objectivity of school history textbooks.
It is essential that they see the world from different perspectives.
These are weighty and difficult topics in the grown-up world of global diplomacy, and are difficult issues even for university students. But the 35 participants at the annual conference were all secondary school students.
The objective was to give them exposure to different world issues through face-to-face interaction. One of the key organisers was Glenda Chan, who has just graduated from Li Po Chun United World College.
Chan took part in the event last year, and the experience shaped her decision to remain in Hong Kong, where she will study international business and Chinese enterprise at Chinese University.
"Hong Kong is a major financial centre, and China and Japan are major economies in the Asia-Pacific. Their relations will affect the future economy of the region," Chan says. Her view echoes the mission of Li Po Chun, part of a global network of 12 United World Colleges, to "make education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future".