The 2026 China-ROK Youth Dialogue on Sustainable Development & China-ROK Youth SDGs Weifang Week kicks off in Weifang, East China's Shandong Province on October 31, 2026. Photo: Zhang Wanshi/Global Times

The 2026 China-ROK Youth Dialogue on Sustainable Development & China-ROK Youth SDGs Weifang Week took place in Weifang, East China's Shandong Province, at the end of October, bringing young people from the two countries closer together and deepening friendship and people-to-people ties.

Themed "Youth Without Borders, Creating a Shared Future," the dialogue, held from October 28 to December 2, brought together over 2,000 students and teachers from China and South Korea. 

Through a range of activities, including study tours, kite-making in the "World Capital of Kites," roundtable discussions and interactive exchanges, participants exchanged perspectives and explored issues related to sustainable development.

Ban Ki-moon, former UN secretary-general, told the Global Times at the event that this is a good opportunity for young people and emerging leaders, who will become the leaders of tomorrow, to come together and discuss a wide range of topics including climate change and the Sustainable Development Goals.

"The young people should act and remember that they are global citizens. They should do much more [on] how this earth can be climate-friendly and how young leaders can contribute to the well-being," Ban added.

Aligned with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the event featured discussions on sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, and climate action. Ban encouraged the youth to contribute to global peace, development and sustainability.

The event was jointly organized by the Beijing Representative Office of the Ban Ki-moon Foundation for a Better Future, the Weifang municipal bureau of culture and tourism, and other local authorities, as well as South Korea's Shinhan University and China's Weifang University.

It aims to provide a platform for mutual understanding and trust through youth exchanges, bringing young people closer together and strengthening people-to-people friendship, organizers said. 

The event also seeks to foster a sense of global responsibility among young people and encourage them to translate what they gain from the exchanges into sustainable practices on campus and in their communities, laying a solid foundation of public support for the long-term, stable development of China-South Korea relations, organizers said.