The opening ceremony of "2026 Dialogue with the Future for Global Youth from Sister-cities" was held at Nanjing University on June 7, 2026. Co-organized by the Jiangsu International Communication Center of Jiangsu Broadcasting Corporation (JSBC), Nanjing University News & Media Center and Jiangsu Inter-University Association for the Development of International Communication, the event brought together international students from 57 countries, Chinese and foreign scholars, young entrepreneurs, and cultural envoys. Participants engaged in in-depth discussions under the theme "Building a Sustainable Future through Mutual Learning of Technology and Culture".

Xu Ning, Deputy Director of the Publicity Department of the Jiangsu Provincial Party Committee; Lu Hualiang, Director General of Foreign Affairs Office of Jiangsu Provincial People's Government; Ge Lai, President of JSBC; Ren Tong, Vice President of JSBC; Zhang Lili, Level II Bureau Rank Official of Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education; and Chen Yunsong, Vice Chair of NJU CPC Council attended the ceremony and launched the activities. Leveraging Jiangsu's 376 sister-cities, the event serves as a high-level platform for youth exchanges, academic dialogue, and innovative practice, echoing the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind.

Lu Hualiang noted that Jiangsu has established friendship-city ties with 71 countries, the most among China, forming a comprehensive, multi-level foreign exchange network with broad fields. He emphasized that the event has expanded from an Asian-focused activity to a global one, integrating online sessions, corporate visits, and media outreach. He expressed hope that the forum would become a permanent hub for global youth and a bridge for cross-cultural understanding.

Ge Lai recalled the success of the 2025 inaugural Asian edition, which gathered over 400 young people. The 2026 global edition aims to "connect youth wisdom and build a sustainable future", fostering a platform for cultural exchange, academic research, innovation, and talent development. JSBC will partner with Jiangsu's universities to build a collaborative "media & university & friendship city" communication ecosystem.

Chen Yunsong quoted President Xi Jinping's remark: "State-to-state relations thrive when peoples are friendly to each other, and such friendship starts with young people." He highlighted NJU's long-standing commitment to global youth engagement and reinterpreted the university's acronym NJU as "Now Join Us" and "New Journey United", inviting global youth to advance the shared future of humanity.

Ren Tong, Zhang Lili and two students unveiled a new Logo of "2026 Dialogue with the Future", which integrates the concepts of friendship, innovation and ecology. Selected from a design collection facing global youth, it embodies the platform's open vision: for the youth, by the youth.

At the opening ceremony, Chinese and foreign youth representatives jointly released the "Global Youth Advocacy". It calls on people to address global challenges with openness and inclusiveness, and turn the vision of youth cooperation among friendship cities into concrete actions.

Wen Yu, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Nanjing University Committee, Director of the Publicity Department and United Front Work Department; and Shen Zhijun, Director of Nanjing Hongshan Forest Zoo, signed a partnership plan on behalf of the Jiangsu Inter-University Association for the Development of International Communication and Nanjing Hongshan Forest Zoo respectively to integrate wildlife conservation and urban ecology into youth exchange programs.

JSBC donated books on Chinese culture and international communication to support youth storytelling. Qiu Yuanyuan, Secretary-General of the JSBC International Communication Center, and Zhang Yi, Convener of the International Students Branch of the Jiangsu Inter-University Association for the Development of International Communication, took part in the book donation ceremony.

The program included artistic performances and the "Youth Voices" session, with speakers sharing insights on ecological protection, intangible cultural heritage, cross-cultural education, and volunteerism.

A cultural exhibition provided an interactive platform for international youth to experience traditional Chinese intangible cultural heritage.

On the afternoon, over 30 international student representatives visited Nanjing Hongshan Forest Zoo to learn about its innovative approaches to animal welfare and public education. And follow-up trips to high-tech enterprises in Wuxi are scheduled for June 12–13.

Beyond the one-day event, the forum maintains a permanent online "Cloud Parlor" and an open call for youth proposals, turning dialogue into tangible cooperation. As one international student remarked: "We do not only dialogue about the future — we are creating it."