2022 marks the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland. To further support the youth of Hong Kong and Macao in realizing their dreams in the Greater Bay Area and to enhance exchanges and cooperation among the youth of Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Macao, the 2022 Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Macao Youth Cultural Exchange Week officially launched on the afternoon of November 4 at the Shenzhen Futian Free Trade Zone's Shenzhen-Hong Kong International Science and Technology Park.

The event, themed "Hand in Hand in the Bay Area, Creating a Future Together," aligns closely with the development trends of the Greater Bay Area. Over the course of three days, 50 young people from Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Macao will explore Futian, learn about Shenzhen, and prepare to contribute to the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

This event is jointly organized by the Shenzhen Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong, the Shenzhen Municipal Committee of the Communist Youth League, the Propaganda Department of the Futian District Committee of the Communist Party of China, and the Hong Kong Ta Kung Wen Wei Media Group, with assistance from Shenzhen University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen. Professor Du Zide, the Master of Ling College and an advisor to CUHK-Shenzhen, and Director Lu Yi from the college's preparatory office attended the event, along with some students from Ling College who participated in the three-day activities. 

Shenzhen-Hong Kong dignitaries delivered speeches to the youth from the three regions

Tan Yaozong, a member of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and former chairman of the Hong Kong Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, and Huo Qigang, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and vice chairman of the National Youth Federation, delivered speeches via video link. Huo Qigang expressed high expectations for the 2022 Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Macao Youth Cultural Exchange Week, stating, “I hope the youth of Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Macao will write a wonderful life with their passionate youth and contribute to the realization of the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.”

Luo Yumiao, Director of the Shenzhen Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong, expressed hope that the young participants in the exchange week would cherish the opportunity to understand the rapid development of the motherland and the potential of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, seizing the developmental opportunities in the Bay Area to establish their roots.

Wu Huan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Futian District Committee of the Communist Party of China and Minister of the United Front Work Department of Futian District, noted that the He Tao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone, located in Futian, has become the only thematic platform focused on technological innovation in the Greater Bay Area. He emphasized its significance as a major platform for Shenzhen to build a pioneering demonstration area for socialism with Chinese characteristics and as an important base for Shenzhen-Hong Kong cooperation and exchanges in the new era.

Professor Du Zide, advisor to The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Master of Ling College, and President of the National Youth Informatics Olympiad, emphasized the importance of interaction based on his personal experiences, cooperation with Hong Kong, studying in Europe, and over twenty years of educational poverty alleviation in the Lu Liang area of Shanxi. He encouraged students from Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Macao to enhance their exchanges, appreciate the development achievements of the motherland, and strengthen their sense of identity, belonging, and patriotism through continuous interaction.

The flag-raising ceremony was held with guests and representatives of the youth from the three regions. Wan Chenling, a student representative from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, took the stage to receive the flag.

The youth from Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Macao conducted on-site visits to important technological and cultural bases in Shenzhen

From November 4 to 6, students from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen visited various technological and cultural bases in Shenzhen, including the Shenzhen-Hong Kong International Science and Technology Park, the Quantum Research Institute, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Innovation Research Institute, the Huaqiangbei Museum, Lianhua Mountain Park, Tian'an Digital City, and Shenzhen Book City. These places bear witness to the development of Shenzhen since the reform and opening-up. The students not only experienced the advancements in Shenzhen's technology industry but also enhanced their sense of belonging to this vibrant young city during their visits. 

In today's era, students born in the millennium are witnessing the best period for the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. I wish every student finds their space to contribute while appreciating the charm of the Bay Area, opening a new chapter in their studies, careers, and lives!

— Li Le'er, Representative of Shenzhen University

Shenzhen and Hong Kong are closely connected, sharing the same ancestry. The youth are the hope of the nation, the future of the people, the pearls of the Greater Bay Area, and the brilliance of the Pearl River. Together, Shenzhen and Hong Kong create a prosperous and civilized future; with the collaboration of Zhuhai and Macao, we strive for national rejuvenation. In the Shenzhen-Hong Kong cooperation zone, we ascend to the peak of innovation. Once, fishing boats sang at dusk; today, high-rises stand in succession. The Greater Bay Area is filled with outstanding talents—how fortunate we are!

— Li Bin, Representative of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen)