主要观点总结
文章介绍了在2024年BRICS青年领导论坛上的情况，来自BRICS国家的青年领袖强调了语言和文化交流在促进国际合作中的重要性。两位年轻人通过语言学习建立联系并分享彼此的文化。此外，BRICS国家的年轻领袖还通过社交媒体和身体语言促进交流。论坛上的活动如“自由拥抱”事件和礼物交换进一步加深了彼此的联系和友谊。
关键观点总结
关键观点1: 青年领袖强调语言和文化交流的重要性
来自BRICS国家的青年领袖在论坛上通过语言和文化交流建立联系，分享彼此的文化和故事。
关键观点2: 社交媒体在文化交流中的作用
社交媒体成为促进BRICS国家之间文化交流的重要工具，通过分享内容、建立在线社交网络等方式促进理解和合作。
关键观点3: 身体语言的重要性
除了语言之外，身体语言也是连接人们的有效方式。BRICS国家的年轻领袖通过举办“自由拥抱”事件等活动展示身体语言的魅力。
关键观点4: BRICS合作对青年和贸易的影响
BRICS合作不仅促进了全球问题的合作解决，还促进了友谊的建立和与世界各地人民的联系。此外，BRICS合作还促进了贸易增长和青年领袖之间的交流。
正文
At the 2024 BRICS Young Leaders Forum in Kazan, youth leaders from BRICS countries highlighted the importance of language, cultural exchange, and friendship in fostering cooperation among nations.
When 24-year-old Chinese student Li Yunqing first met Iranian Abalfazl Delkhasteh, Li greeted him in Persian — a language he had learned in an elective course at university. This shared language quickly connected them, allowing for deeper conversations in English about culture, society, and the opportunities and challenges faced by young people in both countries.
▲ Top left: Young people from BRICS countries engaged in a "free hug" event on the streets of Kazan, Russia, on Sept 24. Top right: They explored the streets of Kazan. Above: They participated in the 2024 BRICS Young Leaders Forum on Sept 25. Dong Ming/For China Daily
"Sometimes, you don't have to be an expert or a professional translator to learn a language; it can still be the key that unlocks communication," Li said.
The two young men met at the 2024 BRICS Young Leaders Forum, held on Sept 25 in Kazan, Russia, the same location where the 2024 BRICS Summit will take place from Oct 22 to 24.
Themed "New Opportunities for a Shared Future", the event brought together 11 youth leaders and around 200 young audience members from BRICS countries to discuss the benefits of BRICS cooperation for youth and their contributions to the member nations.
As a language learner, Li is pursuing a master's degree in linguistics at the Higher School of Economics in Russia and is actively engaged in the Chinese language club and the Chinese literature club at the school. "In Russia, there is a strong demand for learning Chinese," he explained.
Pavel Sergeevich Kondrashkin, 28, a urologist at the Russian Railway Hospital, also noted that young people in the BRICS countries have a keen interest in each other's languages and cultures.
During his university years, he set up an online language club where native speakers from different countries taught each other their languages, fostering connections and integration among participants.
"Our online social network group now has nearly 2,000 members, many of whom are from BRICS countries," he said.
Delkhasteh, a 29-year-old who grew up in Iran and is now pursuing a graduate degree in China, sees the crucial role social media plays in cultural exchange among young people worldwide.
He is a social media content creator with over 25,000 followers on the Chinese video platform Bilibili and is dedicated to bridging the gap between Iranian and Chinese cultures by sharing content on technology, history, food, and everyday life in both nations.
"This will help build stronger connections that can positively influence both politics and the economy. It's something that can also be done in other BRICS countries," he said.
Delkhasteh believes that Iran's recent inclusion as a new member of the BRICS countries presents a valuable opportunity to enhance cooperation among member nations.
"The expanded BRICS represents nearly 45 percent of the global population and covers about 30 percent of the world's land area, making it a major player in global affairs," he said.
In addition to language, body language is another effective way to connect people. During their stay in Kazan, these young leaders hosted a "free hug "event on the streets, offering a unique and memorable experience for all participants.
Shannah Rose Erasmus, 27, a South African student of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), recalled a memorable moment when a group of young Russians noticed she was feeling shy about asking for free hugs in public. They approached her and hugged her, even though she couldn't speak Russian.
"It's a beautiful reminder that young people are willing to set aside our differences and come together to share a special moment like this," she said.
As a TCM enthusiast, Erasmus has seen how collaboration among BRICS countries enhances medical development and encourages exchanges among young doctors worldwide.
After completing her bachelor's degree in TCM and acupuncture at the University of the Western Cape in South Africa, Erasmus began her master's degree in acupuncture and tuina (a form of Chinese therapeutic massage) in 2021 at Zhejiang Chinese Medical University in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province.
In addition, since 2020, she has been working with the Confucius Institute for Chinese Medicine in South Africa, sharing TCM practices and Chinese philosophy with local youth.
"These exchanges allow for a nuanced appreciation of each other's cultures," said Erasmus.
Kondrashkin also participated in a one-month exchange program at Wuhan Union Hospital in 2017 in Central China's Hubei province. Working alongside a Chinese doctor, he was impressed by the doctor's outstanding medical skills and open-minded approach.
"It was my first experience in a BRICS country, and I really enjoyed it," he said.
Vitor Moura, a marketing director at the Brazil-China Business Association, noted that China, as Brazil's largest trading partner, has fostered strong cooperation between the two countries in areas like energy, agriculture, and technology, providing Brazil with technology transfers and infrastructure support.
"This model of cooperation, promoted by the BRICS mechanism, has become a successful example of collaboration among emerging market nations," Moura said, highlighting the unprecedented opportunities it creates for small and medium-sized enterprises as well as for young people.
