Young innovators bring fresh ideas for world heritage

Young innovators from 31 countries and regions across five continents gathered in Venice, Italy this week to present proposals on protecting the world's cultural heritage and to explore how emerging technologies and international cooperation can help preserve humanity's shared legacy for future generations.

The final round of the 2026 Rongchang Cup Youth Innovation Competition on Global Governance, or YICGG 2026, was held from July 21 to July 24 at Ca' Foscari University of Venice under the theme World Cultural Heritage and the Development of Human Civilization.

Founded in 1905, Fudan University is one of China's leading comprehensive research universities and is widely recognized for its strengths in international studies and the study of public policy and global governance.

Launched in 2007, the YICGG has been hosted in different cities around the world in partnership with local universities and international organizations, attracting more than 3,390 participants from 114 countries and regions and generating nearly 1,300 governance proposals on global challenges.

This year's final was held in cooperation with Ca' Foscari University of Venice, reflecting the city's unique role as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a historic crossroads connecting Eastern and Western civilizations.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Qian Haihong, vice Party secretary of Fudan University, said the competition has become an important platform for young people to participate in global governance and promote mutual learning among civilizations.

She said the joint organization of the competition by Fudan University and Ca' Foscari University of Venice not only deepens academic cooperation between the two institutions, but also creates a bridge for dialogue among young people from around the world. And she encouraged participants to combine innovation, communication, and collaboration in developing interdisciplinary and cross-cultural solutions for cultural heritage protection.

Tiziana Lippiello, rector of Ca' Foscari University of Venice and a Fudan alumna, welcomed participants by describing Venice as both a living city and a World Heritage site where Eastern and Western civilizations have met for centuries.

She said the partnership between the two universities connects two ancient civilizations and expressed hope that young people would contribute innovative ideas for heritage conservation, while strengthening cultural exchanges between China and Italy.

Representing the Venice municipal government, Paola Mar, councilor responsible for university affairs, said Venice has long flourished through dialogue, openness, and cultural diversity.

Mar welcomed contestants from around the world and encouraged them to exchange ideas, learn from one another, and build lasting friendships while experiencing the city's rich cultural heritage.

In a video message, Magda Landry, director of UNESCO's Regional Bureau for Science and Culture in Europe in Venice, said the competition's theme demonstrates the power of cultural heritage to connect diverse civilizations.

Landry added that UNESCO will continue to strengthen international cooperation to safeguard humanity's shared heritage and hopes young people will help build a more peaceful, inclusive, and sustainable future.

This year's final YICGG features four sub-themes: world cultural heritage and dialogue among civilizations, artificial intelligence for heritage revitalization and sustainable tourism, world cultural heritage and multilateral cooperation, and world cultural heritage and climate change.

Participants have been encouraged to draw on practices from different countries while proposing innovative governance approaches to heritage conservation.

Among the proposals reaching the finals, Alyssa Hackett and McKenzie Hackett from the United States focused on the Chaco Culture World Heritage Site, proposing a governance model that integrates artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and digital storytelling to reconcile energy development with heritage protection while strengthening indigenous community participation.

A team from Brazil comprising Lucas Fernandes Miranda, Julia Rosa Nery Cortez, and Lucas Daniel Antunes Amorim proposed an AI-powered, gamified digital platform designed to preserve indigenous cultural heritage in the Amazon by combining traditional ecological knowledge, youth engagement, and climate action.

Participants said the competition offered more than an opportunity to present proposals.

Bogdan Lytvynenko, a Canadian finalist pursuing a master's degree in global governance and diplomacy at the University of Oxford, said discussions with peers from different backgrounds had broadened his understanding of cultural heritage.

"Cultural heritage is much more than monuments," he said. "It also includes nature, local languages, and traditions. I hope we can exchange ideas and find the best solutions to preserve both tangible and intangible heritage."

Yang Meifeng, one of the organizers from Fudan University's School of International Relations and Public Affairs, said the organizing team had also become "a bridge between different cultures".

"Although we speak different languages, we all work toward the same goal. That is the truest expression of cross-cultural exchange," she said.

Lippiello said universities should help students "grow together, become international, and work for peace and harmony", adding that dialogue and cooperation are just as important as competition in preparing the next generation to address shared global challenges.