On April 20, the College Students City-Reading Season kicked off at SEU. The new book My Days in Nanjing was released at the event, and awards were presented to the winners of the 3rd Youth Three-Line Poetry Contest. The event was co-organized by the Publicity Department of the CPC Nanjing Municipal Committee, the Cyberspace Affairs Commission of the CPC Nanjing Municipal Committee, the Nanjing Municipal Urban and Rural Construction Commission, the Nanjing Municipal Committee of the Communist Youth League of China, and Southeast University. The event was attended by Xu Ning, Deputy Director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee; Wu Renlin, Second-level Inspector of the Provincial Department of Education; Zhai Shengcheng, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Committee of the Communist Youth League of China; Xing Jihong, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Southeast University; as well as responsible officials from relevant provincial and municipal departments.

At the event, Emma, an Algerian international student from SEU, shared her experience of studying and living in Nanjing. “What I first remembered were not the scenic spots, but the shopkeepers asking 'Do you want chili oil?’ while I was having wontons and duck blood vermicelli soup,” shesaid. “Over the past three years in Nanjing, I have felt the kindness,warmth, and hospitality of local people. At Nanjing International Friendship Park, I learned that Nanjing has sister-city exchanges across the globe. At the Nanjing City Wall Museum, I experienced the profound history and extensive culture of the city. At the Qinhuai Lantern Fair, I sensed the profound vitality of Chinese culture. I truly believe Nanjing is an endless book to explore. I aspire to share its stories with the world, allowing more people to discover the city’s profound historical heritage and unique charm of modern development.”

Letters of appointment as “Youth City-Reading Ambassadors” were granted to young representatives to encourage them to tell Nanjing’s stories from a youthful perspective. The event also launched the City Reading · Revitalizing Nanjing Vitality Youth Co-Creation Initiative and the hand-drawn map of the Ten Facets of Nanjing city-reading routes. Meanwhile, the AI City-Reading/Love City-Reading Nanjing Campus Creation Camp was inaugurated, enabling young people to understand the city and express their creativity in diverse ways.

The event concluded with the official launch of the College Students City-Reading Season and the establishment of the In-Campus Universities City-Reading Action Alliance in Nanjing, building a key platform for young people to know,cherish, and settle down in the city.

Source: Youth League Committee, College of International Students, SEU

Translated by: Melody Zhang

Edited by: Leah Li