Young volunteers selected from universities in north China's Tianjin Municipality are excited to contribute their efforts to the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit, making final preparations for their work to serve participants from home and abroad.
Leaders from Asia, Europe and Africa will gather in the port city of Tianjin from August 31 to September 1 for the largest-ever SCO summit in history, charting the blueprint for the bloc's next decade of development. A total of 998 youth volunteers have been selected and trained to assist the Summit since June.
The media center for the Summit will open on Thursday morning, aiming to serve journalists in reporting on it. Wang Pinyi, a first-year graduate student majoring in English at Tianjin Normal University, will work at the No. 1 studio of the media center.
Wang has participated in systematic training with over 300 other volunteers from five universities in Tianjin since June. This training covered the basic functions of eight areas within the media center, including the comprehensive service area, the public workspace, the dedicated workspace, and specialized skills in foreign affairs etiquette, media reception, and emergency response.
As time marches into August, volunteers shifted focus to targeted training based on their specific roles.
"My classmates and I -- we are in the same volunteer group -- conducted research to understand the mainstream media of various countries and their official working languages. For us, this preparation process has been very rewarding," said Wang.
An inauguration ceremony for the volunteers was held at Nankai University on August 8, where all the volunteers took a solemn oath to serve the Summit with their professional skills and great passion.
"I am a Russian language major. On the one hand, I will use my language skills to serve this grand event, conveying the most beautiful China for the attendees. On the other hand, I have gained a lot of practical translation skills through this experience. It has been highly rewarding and has contributed greatly to my personal growth," said Li Zenghao, another volunteer from Tianjin Normal University.
"As a university student, I feel quite honored to be part of this great era and to witness such a significant event. It is also a privilege to serve as a volunteer at the SCO Summit, contributing our youthful strength," said Liang Hongna, a volunteer from Tianjin Foreign Studies University.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was established 24 years ago primarily to address security concerns. It has evolved into a regional organization encompassing nearly half of the world's population, a quarter of the global landmass and a quarter of global GDP. With the accession of India, Pakistan, Iran, and Belarus, the SCO now has 10 member states, alongside two observer states and 14 dialogue partners.
Volunteers excited to contribute to upcoming SCO Summit in Tianjin
