Programme: Historical and Cultural Exploration Tour
Partner Institution: Nanjing University
Period: May 19—26, 2023
During the weeklong trip in Nanjing and Shanghai, I witnessed the achievements in economic and social development of mainland China in recent decades, which was indeed an eye-opener for a student like me who was born and raised in Hong Kong. As this program is all about culture and peace, the host institution, Nanjing University, organized a wide range of activities to help us understand the importance of peace and how we could achieve it. One of the activities I would like to share is the seminar given by Professor Liu Cheng, who is the UNESCO Chair of Peace Studies. It was the first time I learned the concept of active peace and the role of the younger generation in promoting peace. I was also given a chance to discuss deeply the history of the active peace movement worldwide, which greatly deepened my understanding of the subject matter.
During the trip, we visited museums, one of which was the Six Dynasties Museum, which showcased the great historical background of Nanjing and provided insight into the flourishing culture of the city. I was also able to closely observe some rare porcelain artifacts from more than a thousand years ago. There was a special feeling of time-traveling when I visited the ancient wall of the city, where the engravings on the bricks were still clearly visible after almost six hundred years. It almost made me feel as if I lived in the same era as the artisans and masons - interesting, isn't it?
Aside from Nanjing, we also spent two days in Shanghai, where we visited the Jewish Refugee Museum. Throughout the trip, I realized that peace is reachable for every one of us; it's just that each of us must be consciously leaning towards it in the way of active peace.