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è������ Peter’s University students recently participated in the Future Makers 2026 China-U.S. Youth Tour, an international learning experience that brought together more than 100 university students from the United States and 70 students from China for a week of cultural exchange, learning and dialogue.
Held September 1–7, the tour was jointly hosted by the Beijing NGO Network for International Exchanges and the Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation.

Ten U.S. colleges and universities participated, including è������ Peter’s University, American University, Central Michigan University, Columbia University, Harvard University, Kentucky State University, The University of Chicago, University of California, Davis and Riverside, and University of Washington. Together with their Chinese peers, it was an opportunity to experience China through cultural immersion and authentic interactions commenced.

As part of the tour, students traveled to Shandong, the birthplace of Confucius, where they explored the history and influence of more than 2,500 years of Confucian thought. The group also spent time in Beijing, experiencing the city’s ancient past, and future with a tour of the Xiaomi EV car factory, while also engaging with Chinese students and communities. The tour ended with our students planting pine trees on Yanqi Island.

The program was designed to deepen students’ understanding of China through firsthand experiences while encouraging greater international connection and dialogue across the Asia-Pacific region.
è������ Peter’s students were accompanied by Ernabel Demillo, professor and chair of the Department of Communication and Media Culture, and coordinated by Lan Jiang, Ph.D., interim director of the Center of Chinese Language Teacher’s Education at è������ Peter’s.

For Demillo and Jiang, the experience offered students an opportunity to look beyond cultural differences and recognize the common experiences shared by young people around the world.

“For our students, this was a trip of a life-time. Beyond the historical sites and technological innovations, I also believe one of the most meaningful aspects was the opportunity for our è������ Peter’s students to engage with their U.S. and Chinese peers.” said Demillo. “Young people they met shared the same hopes and dreams that they do, despite the differences in culture.”

Jiang said “the students represented è������ Peter’s well throughout the program, receiving recognition from organizers for their confidence, global perspective, cross-cultural adaptability and communication skills. During the week-long event, the organizers called me twice to commend our students, praising the confidence, global perspective, cross-cultural adaptability, and communication skills they demonstrated as exemplary university students. I am deeply grateful to Professor Demillo for her tireless dedication in taking charge and leading the students on this trip, and I look forward to her sharing more interesting stories with us.”

For è������ Peter’s students, the tour provided an opportunity to learn through direct cultural experiences while building connections with peers from another part of the world, connections that can continue beyond the classroom and across borders.