On October 12, the fifth World Hakka Youth Conference officially opened in Guangzhou, guided by the Guangdong Provincial Overseas Chinese Federation and hosted by the Guangdong Provincial Hakka Overseas Friendship Association. Approximately 1,000 young Hakka representatives from over 30 countries and regions across five continents, including Singapore, Malaysia, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, the Netherlands, Austria, Italy, Australia, Japan, and Indonesia, gathered for this significant event.

The theme of the conference, “Building Dreams in the Greater Bay Area: Hakka Youth Creating the Future,” aims to showcase the talents and spirit of young Hakka people from around the globe, foster communication and collaboration among them, promote the inheritance and innovation of Hakka culture, and unite Hakka communities to work collectively for development.

In his opening remarks, Zeng Zhiming, President of the Guangdong Provincial Hakka Overseas Friendship Association and the World Hakka Youth Conference, highlighted the importance of cooperation and mutual benefit in today’s globalized world. He urged Hakka youth to embrace an open, inclusive, and innovative spirit, collectively creating value across economic, technological, and cultural fields. He stressed the importance of enhancing the global image of Hakka people while contributing to the construction of a better shared future for humanity.

During the opening ceremony, Chen Qingchen, a Paris Olympics champion from Meizhou, Guangdong, spoke as an exemplary representative of young Hakka individuals. Throughout the conference, several activities were held, including the establishment of the World Hakka Youth Doctoral Think Tank Alliance, a dialogue and sharing session between Hakka doctoral students and academicians, an “I and My Ancestral Country” photography and calligraphy exhibition, a “Speak Hakka” competition, a youth leadership roundtable, a cooperation development forum for Hakka youth entrepreneurship, a youth gala, and a Hakka food exhibition. Following the conference, overseas young Hakka representatives will be taken on business investment tours to the Baiyun District’s private technology park and the Nansha District’s planning exhibition hall, as well as the innovative entrepreneurial community.

The World Hakka Youth Conference was initiated in 2011 by the Guangdong Provincial Overseas Chinese Federation in collaboration with Hakka communities worldwide. The event rotates every two to three years around the globe, with the inaugural conference held in Meizhou, Guangdong, followed by events in Hong Kong, Macau, and London.