SHENZHEN, China, Aug. 13, 2018 — The 2nd International Youth Innovation Conference, jointly held by the UNIDO-Investment & Technology Promotion Office, Bahrain, Shenzhen Youth Federation and Shenzhen Federation of Youth Entrepreneurship Promotion, was opened on the morning of August 12th. More than 900 participants, including guests at home and abroad, representatives of doctoral students from prestigious universities, young makers, and outstanding young people from all fields, attended the opening ceremony.
With “The Positive Role of Youth in Coping with Future Challenges” as its theme, the 2nd International Youth Innovation Conference is designed to establish an international exchange platform for global youth and promote their communication and cooperation so as to make contributions for implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and promoting the construction of Shenzhen as an innovation demonstration area of national sustainable development agenda. In addition, based on global visions and its sincerity, the conference aims at introducing international innovation talents so as to help Shenzhen establish its world-class talent development system and make the city a base with international influence for training innovation talents.
Dr. Hashim Hussein Director of the UNIDO Investment and Promotion Office, Wang Xiaojun, Deputy Director of the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation, Liang Dan, Chairperson of the United Nations Maritime-Continental Silk Road Cities Alliance, Xu Youjun, Vice Chairman of the CPPCC Shenzhen Committee, as well as other guests attended the opening ceremony.
Young Talents Gather in Shenzhen for Lectures of Prestigious Guests
The 2nd International Youth Innovation Conference has invited over 80 guests from international organizations at home and abroad, including the senior officials from the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation, United Nations Industrial Development Organization, United Nations Environment Programme, United Nations Development Programme, and United Nations Maritime-Continental Silk Road Cities Alliance and senior representatives from international NGO organizations.
More than 200 doctoral students from worldwide prestigious universities, such as the University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, University of Bahrain, Imperial College London, University of Sheffield, South Korea-based Sungkyunkwan University, Peking University, Italy-based University of Genova, Belgium-based University of Leuven, St. Petersburg State Polytechnical University, and Columbia University, participated in the conference. In addition, nearly 180 young makers at home and abroad took part in it as well.
Focusing on Hot Topics and Concerns of Worldwide Youth
This year, academic discussions and exchanges will be made around 16 topics from four fields, economy, S & T, society and environment. The conference is composed of 10 theme forums. Besides the main forum at the opening ceremony, it also includes the theme forums for gene health, artificial intelligence, financial science and technology, youth participation in social governance and innovation, the development of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, future education, youth public benefits and other social topics and current affairs. In addition, a keynote speech on sustainable development goals will be delivered, covering the important topics such as gap between the rich and the poor, culture, secondary environment, and gender equality.
The young representatives from all over the world will jointly discuss how to promote the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development made by the UN and its 17 sustainable development goals based on their professional fields.
Shenzhen Waits For You to Open Spaces for Innovations and Building Dreams
As a city famous for innovations, design, volunteers and making dreams come true, Shenzhen attracts more than 100,000 university graduates annually to work, start up their business and realize their self-values in the city. In a broad sense, Shenzhen is a city for youth, not only because it is a city with a short history but also it has the capacity to become one for better youth development. In the future, Shenzhen will spare no efforts to promote the sense of identity, sense of participation and contributions of young people for the city, make the city friendlier to them and make youth have better development in the city. This year marks the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening up, and the conference will make a solid foundation for Shenzhen to form regional coordination and realize urban sustainable development by promoting industries with talents and gathering talents with prosperous industries.
