Youth are among the primary beneficiaries and supporters of cooperation within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). In recent years, young people from member states have actively engaged through the broad platforms provided by the organization, achieving tangible results in cultural exchange, innovation and entrepreneurship, digital economy, and distance education.

During the “Global Mayors Dialogue on SCO Cities” event held in early July, Pakistani youth Zoon Ahmed Khan spoke about her gains from the SCO. She participated in many SCO events, including the Youth Development Forum and the Kunming Marathon. She sees the organization as a space for youth from various countries to understand each other and exchange ideas, hoping more young people from member states discover the opportunities available in the region.

Thanks to these diverse platforms, exchanges among SCO youth continue to deepen mutual understanding and inject new momentum into the organization’s cooperation.

Suhail Khan, Deputy Secretary-General of the SCO, emphasized that youth are the future of the organization and that popular exchanges, especially youth interactions, play a pivotal role in cooperation. He added that the increasing number of students from SCO countries studying in China broadens their horizons and makes them ambassadors of friendly exchange.

At the recent “SCO Youth Meeting in Qingdao” held in Shandong Province, 100 international students from 30 countries, including Pakistan and Tajikistan, participated in an educational experience that included exploring China’s intangible cultural heritage, visiting advanced technology companies, and learning about urban development. Through these interactions, students deepened their understanding of China and built global friendships.

In recent years, a series of activities within the organization, including youth exchange camps, youth development forums, youth learning experiences, and innovation and entrepreneurship competitions, have strengthened bonds of friendship among SCO youth and attracted more active participation.

Deng Hao, former Secretary-General of the SCO China Research Center, pointed out that youth cooperation achievements are reflected in four main areas: first, establishing cooperation mechanisms; since its establishment in 2009, the SCO Youth Committee has become a main exchange mechanism among youth organizations in member states, meeting annually and launching new cooperation projects. Second, improving cooperation systems; in 2021, member states signed the “Cooperation Agreement on Youth Work,” achieving important consensus on enhancing cooperation and providing institutional guarantees and political guidance. Third, enhancing influential cooperation brands; for example, the youth exchange camp has held eight sessions with over 1,200 outstanding youth participants, and the international youth entrepreneurship incubator has flourished with smooth progress in various activities, including reciprocal visits among young entrepreneurs, selection and incubation of entrepreneurial projects, development of training courses, and holding four innovation and entrepreneurship competitions, which boosted technological exchange and results transfer among countries.

Fourth, launching new projects and forms of youth cooperation, such as the “2024-2025 Youth Exchange and Cooperation Project List,” covering 18 projects in education, culture, sports, and talent development.

As a founding member, China has paid great attention to youth exchanges and actively supported them, starting from adopting the “Message from SCO Heads of State to Youth” at the 2018 Qingdao Summit, to establishing the China-SCO Youth Exchange Center and inviting many young people to participate in diverse activities, reflecting China’s ongoing commitment to building platforms to enhance exchanges.

The 25th meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State will be held from August 31 to September 1 in Tianjin, representing a valuable opportunity for SCO youth to activate their role in cooperation among member states.

Deputy Secretary-General of the organization, Batyr Erkinovich Tursunov, called for enhancing practical activities for SCO youth and encouraging their participation in cooperation in science, technology, education, sports, culture, tourism, and environmental protection to unleash their potential.