To encourage international students in Chongqing to deeply participate in volunteer services and tell good stories of China and Chongqing from an international perspective, the 2025 "Luhai Appointment · International Volunteer Service" training event was successfully held at Chongqing University on November 29. Closely following the theme of "Gathering Volunteer Strength to Build a Better Society", this event kicked off the themed activities for Chongqing's "December 5" International Volunteer Day.
Guided by the Chongqing Municipal Committee's Social Work Department, this event was organized by the Shapingba District Committee's Social Work Department, Chongqing Luhai International Communication Public Welfare Foundation, and Chongqing University's International Student Affairs Management Center. It was undertaken by Chongqing Ren'ai Social Work Service Center and Western International Communication Center, attracting more than 150 international student volunteers.
Xu Bin, Deputy Director of the Chongqing Municipal Committee's Social Work Department, said in his speech that in recent years, Chongqing has continuously improved its volunteer service system, promoted multi-departmental coordination, and accelerated the construction of a volunteer service pattern with wide coverage and clear levels. Based on Chongqing's geographical advantages, it has taken international volunteer services as an important measure to enhance the city's international influence and accelerate the construction of an inland open highland, actively exploring effective paths for international volunteers to participate in local services and tell good stories of Chongqing.
"This event is another positive exploration to continuously deepen the international connotation of volunteer services and promote the interaction and integration of Chinese and foreign youth," said Xu Bin. The event broke through traditional models, focused on international students in Chongqing, and carried out special training and practice in areas such as cultural experience, ecological protection, and community services, providing a valuable platform for international youth to deeply perceive Chongqing and practice the volunteer spirit. He hoped that everyone would actively engage in volunteer services, observe Chongqing from a unique perspective, record the process, and convey their voices, so as to further enhance their understanding of the city's cultural heritage and development vitality through volunteer services.
This event was carried out in a diversified mode of "theoretical teaching + practical training + case analysis + interactive communication". In the morning's theoretical training session, relevant experts from the International Volunteer Organization Alliance explained the norms of international volunteer services in detail. The team from the Western International Communication Center shared practical paths for international students to participate in the new media communication of urban public welfare. Chongqing Luhai International Communication Public Welfare Foundation also introduced the public welfare concept and implementation results of the "Luhai Appointment · International Youth Benefit Creation Plan", building a bridge between public welfare awareness and communication practice for international students.
In the afternoon's practical session, more than 150 international students were divided into 6 teams and went to multiple practice sites such as Gele Mountain and Ciqikou Wharf to carry out characteristic volunteer activities: On campus, international students experienced dragon dance culture under the guidance of teachers from Tongliang Dragon Lantern and Lion Dance Association, feeling the profound origin of Bayu folk customs and dragon culture. By the Jialing River, everyone took a ferry to learn ecological knowledge and participated in beach cleaning activities to protect the Yangtze River ecosystem. At the "Winter Needle Love" site, international students knitted warm supplies for children in high-altitude mountainous areas, conveying kindness with their fingertips. On Gele Mountain, international students participated in activities such as "No Trace in the Mountains" mountain cleaning hikes and hand-made trails for raptor habitats, practicing the concept of ecological protection through practice.
"As soon as I think that these knitted hats and scarves can help others, I feel particularly meaningful," said Tu Lejia, an international student from Poland. Although she had knitting experience before, she learned many practical skills in this event. It not only improved her own skills but also allowed her to send warmth to others. Such an event made her feel very valuable.
Notably, this training emphasized the empowerment of new media communication throughout. It encouraged international students to record the practice process with cameras, share their public welfare insights on social platforms, and mark theme tags. Relevant content will serve as the basis for the selection of "Chongqing Urban Public Welfare Communication Officers". According to the event organizer, this event not only warmed up for Chongqing's "December 5" International Volunteer Day this year, but also brought Chinese volunteer service culture and public welfare concepts to international students, enhancing their cross-cultural communication and new media creation abilities. Through the "foreign eyes" perspective, it has brought the public welfare warmth and urban charm of Chongqing to the world, injecting international volunteer strength into the construction of Chongqing's inland open highland.
Chongqing University (Chongqing University, CQU)
Nicknamed Chongda, located in Chongqing, China, is a national key university directly administered by the Central Government and the Ministry of Education. It ranks among the national "Double First-Class", "211 Project", and "985 Project" initiatives, and is a university focusing on engineering with coordinated development of multiple disciplines. The university is part of the Everest Plan and the Strong Foundation Plan, a member of the Excellence League of Universities, the Belt and Road Universities Alliance, and the China Higher Drama Education Alliance, one of the first pilot universities of the "National Excellence Program", and has been selected for the Innovation Capacity Improvement Plan for Higher Education Institutions, the Discipline Innovation and Talent Introduction Plan for Higher Education Institutions, the Outstanding Engineers Education and Training Plan, and the Outstanding Legal Talents Education and Training Plan.
Founded in 1929, by the 1940s it had developed into a comprehensive university with complete disciplines covering literature, science, engineering, business, law, and medicine. In 1952, it was restructured into a multi-disciplinary university focusing on engineering. After the reform and opening-up, the university underwent comprehensive recovery, adjustment, reform, and development, becoming a university focusing on engineering with coordinated development of multiple disciplines. In 2000, the former Chongqing Jianzhu University and Chongqing Jianzhu College merged with Chongqing University to form the new Chongqing University. In 2017, it was selected as a national "World-Class University Construction University (Class A)", and in 2022, it was included in the second round of "Double First-Class" construction universities. On the morning of January 16, 2025, the "Chinese Badminton Association-Chongqing University Badminton Center" was established.
