International Youth Encounter Huizhou Culture and Anhui Charm in Hefei

On September 13th, Hefei Economic Development Zone hosted its inaugural "Joyful Jingkai, Youth in Action" Youth Lifestyle Fair on the lawn of Oufeng Street. Nearly 200 young people participated, including over 10 friends from Germany, Spain, and the United States, who experienced the charm of traditional Chinese culture through hands-on activities. At the creative market, these international friends shared their stories about Hefei with local journalists.

September brought a touch of refreshing coolness to Hefei. On the lawn of Oufeng Street, a row of creative market stalls attracted numerous young people. The inaugural Youth Lifestyle Fair, centered around the theme "Empowering Life Through Intelligent Manufacturing, Enjoying Freedom with Youthful Energy," featured designed offline experience zones. These allowed both Chinese and international youth to engage with each other and feel the vitality of Hefei's "intelligent" manufacturing in an interactive setting.

Among the crowd, more than 10 foreign friends—hailing from countries like Germany, Spain, and the US, now working and living in Hefei—were engrossed in DIY crafts. Each stall became a space for cross-cultural exchange.

"This creative DIY party is awesome! I've never done anything like this before. Through making these small handmade items, I can sense how rich and beautiful Chinese culture is," said Alexandre Penteado from Brazil, who currently teaches at Canadian International School of Hefei. At his booth, he focused intently on arranging Chinese medicinal herbs into different shapes, carefully sticking them to create magnets for refrigerators.

Eva Kapshina, a foreign student studying in China, showed surprising proficiency while experiencing Hui-style block printing. She picked up the roller brush and evenly applied red ink across the carved wooden plate. With a swift motion—pressing Xuan paper onto it then peeling it off—the bold characters "Longevity & Joy" emerged crisply on the sheet. She told reporters she deeply loves Chinese culture and had previously watched videos demonstrating this traditional technique.  

Meanwhile, Ashling Byrne—also teaching at Canadian International School of Hefei—joined workshops to craft traditional silk folding fans (tuanshan). Delicately adorning her plain silk fan with floral motifs, she painted each stroke with care. Once completed, she wrapped it tenderly in tissue paper before tucking it into her backpack. "This holds special significance—I'm taking it home as a keepsake," she shared. 

"When I was little, my father always said Marco Polo saw palaces paved with gold in China. But what I see here are ordinary people radiating genuine warmth and contentment," shared Alexandre Penteado as he displayed photos on his phone—elderly men practicing tai chi in parks, street vendors stir-frying crayfish at night markets, students grinning widely during classes…

"Two years ago when I arrived in Hefei, my heart brimmed with curiosity. Life here has been an adventure filled with novelty, flavors, and human stories—it's a city where tradition dances with modernity, offering new discoveries daily."

Alexandre revealed he was born in Brazil to a mother of Luxembourgish-German heritage and a father from Treviso (Italy) and Porto (Portugal), making him self-describe as a "citizen of the world" from childhood. "This multicultural upbringing shaped my worldview, fostering deep respect for diverse cultures and an enduring passion for exploration," he said. He added that Chinese people's reverence for knowledge constantly inspires his teaching. "Hearing stories about China pales next to experiencing it firsthand." 

As night fell, the vibrant beats of the "Lighthouse Music Night" launched a new phase of the event. Engineers from companies like LCFC and Unilever transformed into musicians and dancers, radiating youthful energy.  

An official from the Youth Work Committee of Hefei Economic Development Zone told reporters that this initiative uniquely blends an international vibe with Anhui cultural charm—tailored to harmonize with Hefei Economic Development Zone's signature "3+6" industrial cluster strategy. The goal is to craft a dynamic life celebration merging industry engagement, cultural immersion, and playful games for young talent. Notably, Hefei Economic Development Zone hosts flagship enterprises including Volkswagen Anhui, NIO, and LCFC, drawing Chinese and international youth who collaborate side-by-side to drive innovation. "To foster greater belonging among these international professionals, we will explore more tailored activities that meet their needs, injecting greater youthful energy into the region's high-quality development," added the representative.  

Source: Hefei Evening News