On the morning of July 16^th, the 9^th Cross-Straits College Culture and Innovation Forum and Maiden Trip to Fujian for a Hundred Youth from Taiwan kicked off at Huaqiao University (HQU). Nearly 300 teachers and students from 66 colleges and 22 middle schools on both sides of the Strait attended the forum. Among them, over 140 students from Taiwan came to the mainland for the first time.

Themed with "Straits Connection, Source Tracing, Water Conservation", this forum provided various activities including Maiden Trip to Fujian for a Hundred Youth from Taiwan, "Zaitun Present"---Souvenir Design Competition, Graffiti and Wall Painting Competition, as well as Jinjiang River Conservation Experience Tour. Specialists, scholars and professionals in cultural research and creative entrepreneurship education also participated in the forum.

This forum was co-hosted by Fujian Youth Federation, Fujian Students' Federation, HQU and Taiwan Chung Yuan Christian University (CYCU), and co-organized by Quanzhou Youth Federation, HQU Youth Federation, CYCU Art Center, Taiwan Chinese Youth Innovation Network Association, and HQU’s School of Arts and School of Law. From July 15th to 22nd, young students from both sides of the Strait will experience an impressive tour of knowledge, wisdom and inspiration through activities such as field research, round-table discussion, news conference and achievement presentation.

Initiated by HQU in 2011, this forum is one of the subprojects of "Cross-Straits Youth Festival", a major exchange program for Fujian and Taiwan teenagers hosted by Fujian Youth Federation. This forum aims to promote cultural creativity and emotional communication among college students across the Strait on fields including industrial design, graphic design, architecture design, indoor assistant tools, life sciences, fashion, education, etc., and has become a cross-Straits exchange and cooperation platform for culture and creative industry talents.

Leaders and guests announce the launch of the forum by pouring water (symbolizing the Jinjiang Qingyuan) into the starter.

The Opening Ceremony