Sarah Shi is a 21-year-old undergraduate, smack in the middle of her intensive Human Resource Management course at Renmin University of China. So what is she doing spending a whole month in Sri Lanka? Procrastinating on holiday? Far from it.
Sarah, who is also known as Yijie, is one of the forty Chinese student-delegates visiting Sri Lanka under the Ayubowan China project, organized by AIESEC Sri Lanka.
AIESEC which stands for Association for the International Exchange of Students in Economics and Commerce is the world’s largest student-run organisation, focused on providing a platform for youth leadership development in over 110 countries.
‘Ayubowan China’, organised in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, was an internship program meant to strengthen cultural relationships between the two countries.
Last month local and international university students attached to the AIESEC ‘Ayubowan China’ programme came together at the Katubedda campus to take part in the International Youth Forum (IYF).
IYF, the first ever youth forum organized by AIESEC in its 60 years of serving youth globally, was organized with the intention of making space for the voices of youth, seeking out potential change-makers and bringing new ideas to the fore-front of international youth relations.
The topics under discussion at the forum included environmental sustainability, social responsibility, entrepreneurship, tourism and youth & business. But this is all just what’s on paper. How did the programme impact participants and help forward the AIESEC goal of “changing the world, one person at a time”?
Sarah, who plays the role of head Chinese student-delegate to AIESEC Sri Lanka and ‘Ayubowan China’, is heading towards a career based in Marketing /Tourism.
Taking part in the gala Dragon Night, Zhenghe Oration, tourism workshops, awareness programmes held at different local universities, IYF as well as community development programmes at elders’ homes and mental hospitals here which were all part of the program, Sarah has had a hectic internship. She firmly believes that by giving the participants an opportunity to “experience the diversity of cultures” as well as a sharing of thoughts has been a successful in building foundations for strong cultural bridges.
But it’s not only the “bigger” things that have left an impact on Sarah during her stay. “I was surprised by the hospitality of Sri Lankan people,” she shares adding that she is impressed by the fact that we are “so friendly!” The internship programme gave her not only formal opportunities for developing an understanding of Sri Lankan culture, but also a chance to create special memories.
She describes having helped at an elders’ home where they painted beds and helped out, having a good time with the residents, and the joy of caring for others - a priceless treasure.
Sarah hopes the programme will be a sustainable annual venture, and while encouraging all youth to join and take part, Sarah is “definitely” looking forward to returning to Sri Lanka. |
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