On 18 June, 2023, Shanghai Jiao Tong University held an online opening ceremony for its Sustainable Development Goals July Camp (SDG July Camp). This year marks the second edition of the SDG July Camp, a popular online program that attracts many students from not only China, but from all over the world as well. This year, more than 700 students have registered for the program’s twelve courses, which are complemented by a series of public lectures and ‘Master classes’ delivered by some of the world’s leading scholars and professionals.
Nearly 300 Chinese and international students participated in this lively event, which consisted of several speeches followed by interactive icebreaker activities. Moderated by the charismatic Dr. Chong Cheng Tung, an international faculty member from SJTU’s China-UK Low Carbon College, the event positively crackled with excitement and energy. Inspired by Dr. Chong Cheng Tung’s enthusiasm, many participants flooded the comments section with various emojis expressing their appreciation for the speakers and lecturers.
The event began with a welcome speech by Professor Luo Peng, the Director of SJTU’s International Affairs Division, and an opening address by Ms. Ge Yunyan, the Assistant Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). Both leaders commended the program’s students for their passion for learning and their concern for humanity at large. In particular, they expressed their admiration for the students’ awareness of their duty and responsibility as global citizens to find solutions to address not only the problems of today, but the challenges of tomorrow as well.
Given the participants’ diverse cultural, social, economic, and disciplinary backgrounds, the first icebreaker activity was delivered by Professor Zhang Xiaoqiao of SJTU’s School of Education. Her workshop on intercultural training highlighted the phenomenon of acculturation and emphasised the importance of empathy and respect in all encounters. She stressed the need for students to navigate with sensitivity the dynamics of group work. In particular, she spoke of the ways in which linguistic and cultural differences, as well as individual personality traits, can impact how individuals communicate and approach group work, and how students can apply their understanding of the acculturation process to overcome these challenges.
The second icebreaker activity, ‘Story Circle’, was coordinated by Ms. Martina Pittius, a Project Manager at the International Affairs Division’s Office for International Partnerships. This activity divided the participants into small groups, where they took turns presenting their take on a prompt and responding to the presentations delivered by their peers. Pioneered by UNESCO, ‘Story Circle’ has proven to be effective at cultivating empathy and dialogue between people of diverse backgrounds, and is now a regular feature at many UNESCO programs.
While the SJTU SDG July Camp is an online program, a sense of camaraderie has already developed among the student participants. Aside from being a program on global citizenship, the camp is also an opportunity for students to make new friends and learn about new cultures. Perhaps one day they can even travel to each other’s country, or embark on an exchange program at each other’s university. After all, what can be more precious than the gift of lifelong friendship?