第六届运河城市模联大会扬州会场开幕Youth Act as "Diplomats" to Discuss Global Issues

大运河传媒讯（桂艳 徐蓉）运河通四海，青年论天下。第六届运河城市模拟联合国大会在无锡圆满落幕后，又接续走进扬州举办。7月31日上午，以“扬帆梦想•联结世界”为主题的大会在扬州会议中心开幕。100余名青少年代表齐聚扬州，化身模拟外交官，围绕文化遗产保护、全球价值链不平等治理等前沿国际议题展开磋商辩论，在思想碰撞中读懂全球治理的责任与温度。参会代表将会获得联合国官方合作组织欧洲联合组织(UNE)颁发的参会证书。

2021年，依托扬州世界园艺博览会平台，“运河城市模拟联合国大会”正式起航，已在扬州连续举办六届。本届大会扬州会场获中国驻纽约总领事馆特别支持，由联合国官方合作组织欧洲联合组织（UNE）指导，扬州市教育局、扬州市人民政府外事办公室、世界运河历史文化城市合作组织（WCCO）共同支持，费城之窗主办，德诺国际教育集团承办。

以运河之名话青年担当

扬州市政协副主席朱柏兴在致辞中说，扬州是千年运河原点城市，承载着互通包容、文明交融精神内核的大运河，成为搭建青少年对话的天然纽带。他寄语青少年代表：胸怀家国、放眼世界，做兼具家国情怀与国际视野的新时代青少年；理性思辨、平等对话，秉持“君子和而不同”，锤炼多边外交思维；知行合一、勇担使命，把青春思考转化为行动力量，为世界和平发展积蓄青少年动能。

联合国难民署驻华代表Sophie Muller（穆索菲）通过视频致辞，鼓励青少年代表用谈判和辩论的智慧，为战争、难民、贫困等全球发展面临的突出问题寻找解决方案，以自身行动为世界和平发展贡献“青年力量”。

“模联这类实践平台，是青年接触多边外交、读懂全球治理最生动的课堂。”欧美同学会（中国留学人员联谊会）西葡拉美分会副会长朱晓燕认为，当前百年变局持续深化，全球可持续发展事业正面临严峻考验，依托大运河文化纽带举办模联盛会，组织中外青年共议国际事务，更有着特殊而深远的时代价值。

自2021年发起创办以来，WCCO连续六年作为支持单位积极参与运河城市模联大会，见证了一批批青年学子认识、了解联合国规则和国际事务。世界运河历史文化城市合作组织（WCCO）副秘书长杨为民表示，青年学子参与模联大会，能够深入理解联合国的运作机制，锻炼国际谈判、解决冲突的能力，WCCO愿为青年的交流与成长提供坚实支撑。

“青春理想与国际视野交相辉映，赋予运河文明崭新时代内涵。” 扬州市梅岭中学副校长曾俊希望青年把模联大会当作行走的课堂、成长的熔炉，将青春理想与世界发展紧密相连，成长为心怀家国、眼观世界的新时代青年。

美中商旅总会会长、费城之窗创始人张文龙宣布大会开幕。扬州市外办主任袁慧中，扬州市教育局副局长邵学云，扬州市外办副主任周伟，德诺国际教育总裁姚家红等领导嘉宾出席开幕式。

模联舞台见证青年蜕变

运河城市模拟联合国大会是由费城之窗与德诺国际教育联合打造的旗舰品牌活动，大会通过模拟外交谈判，系统提升青年演讲思辨、组织策划、研究写作与批判性思维能力，以及团队协作、解决冲突的领导力，同时拓展国际视野，深化对多元文化及各国立场的理解，助力培养心怀天下、勇于担当的国际青年人才。

开幕式上，主席团代表朱晟恺，上台分享了他本次作为学术指导的联合国经济及社会理事会的议题——应对全球价值链中的不平等问题，这是经济学与全球治理领域极具研究价值的议题，青年在为期三天的正式会议中，通过深入探讨提出可行的解决方案。“从初一第一次走进会场，到今天以高中毕业生的身份站在这里，六年的时间，运河模联几乎陪伴了我整个青春。”优秀学生代表李斯伟感慨，模联全方位地提升了他的综合素养，在他心中种下了一颗“普通人也能改变世界”的种子。

扬州宝应中学的徐曹轩告诉记者，这是他第一次参加模联，认识了很多其他学校的同学，大家对模联都充满热情，“希望通过模联大会，拓宽国际视野，提高英语水平。”

来自江西师范大学附属中学的刘川郦文此次所在的联合国经济及社会理事会，探讨的是全球价值链中的不平等问题。“发达国家做设计、包装等简单环节，却能占据大部分利润；而发展中国家干着繁重劳动，收益却很少，这样很不平衡。”她透露，本次会议的核心正是要推动经济链更加均衡，让更多国家共享发展红利。这已是刘川郦文第三次参加模联大会，她感慨，从最初的“小白”，到如今已能熟练运用规则，甚至引导大家一起完成会议，模联让她得到了很好的锻炼。

Grand Canal Media News (Gui Yan, Xu Rong) — The canal connects the four seas, youth discusses the world. After the successful conclusion of the 6th Canal Cities Model United Nations Conference in Wuxi, it was then held in Yangzhou. On the morning of July 31, the conference themed "Sailing Dreams • Connecting the World" opened at the Yangzhou Conference Center. Over 100 young representatives gathered in Yangzhou, acting as simulated diplomats to engage in consultations and debates on cutting-edge international issues such as cultural heritage protection and governance of global value chain inequality, gaining insight into the responsibility and warmth of global governance through intellectual exchanges. Attendees will receive a certificate of participation issued by the United Nations official cooperative organization, the United Nations (UNE).

In 2021, relying on the platform of the Yangzhou World Horticultural Expo, the "Canal Cities Model United Nations Conference" officially launched, having been held consecutively in Yangzhou for six years. The Yangzhou venue of this conference received special support from the Chinese Consulate General in New York, guided by the United Nations Official Cooperation Organization in Europe (UNE), jointly supported by the Yangzhou Education Bureau, Yangzhou Municipal Foreign Affairs Office, and the World Canal Historical and Cultural City Cooperation Organization (WCCO), hosted by Window of Philadelphia, and organized by Deno International Education Group.

Speaking of youth responsibility in the name of the canal

Zhu Baixing, Vice Chairman of the Yangzhou CPPCC, said in his speech that Yangzhou is the origin city of the millennium canal, carrying the core spirit of mutual understanding, inclusiveness, and civilizational integration, serving as a natural link for youth dialogue. He encouraged youth representatives: embrace the nation and family, look to the world, and be a new-era youth with both patriotism and an international perspective; Rational thinking and equal dialogue, upholding the principle of "gentlemen harmonize but not uniformity," honing multilateral diplomatic thinking; Unity of knowledge and action, courageously shoulder the mission, transform youthful thinking into action power, and accumulate youth momentum for world peace and development.

Sophie Muller, UNHCR's representative in China, delivered a video message encouraging young people to use their negotiation and debate wisdom to find solutions to prominent global development issues such as war, refugees, and poverty, and to contribute "youth strength" to world peace and development through their own actions”.

"Practical platforms like MUN are the most vivid classroom for young people to engage with multilateral diplomacy and understand global governance." Zhu Xiaoyan, Vice President of the Spanish, Portuguese, and Latin America Branch of the Western Returned Scholars Association (Chinese Returned Scholars Association), believes that the current century-long changes are deepening, and the global sustainable development is facing severe challenges. Relying on the Grand Canal cultural bond to hold a Model Union event and organize Chinese and foreign youth to jointly discuss international affairs holds special and far-reaching value for the times.

Since its founding in 2021, WCCO has actively participated in the Canal Cities Model United Nations Conference as a supporting unit for six consecutive years, witnessing waves of young students learning about UN rules and international affairs. Yang Weimin, Deputy Secretary-General of the World Canal Historical and Cultural Cities Cooperation Organization (WCCO), stated that young students participating in the MUN conference can gain a deeper understanding of the United Nations' operational mechanisms, develop skills in international negotiation and conflict resolution, and WCCO is willing to provide solid support for youth exchange and growth.

"Youthful ideals and an international perspective complement each other, endowing the canal civilization with a new era of meaning." Zeng Jun, the vice principal of Meiling Middle School in Yangzhou City, hopes that young people will regard the Model United Nations conference as a living classroom and a forge for growth, closely linking their youthful aspirations with the development of the world, and growing into new-era individuals who care for their country and have a global perspective.

Zhang Wenlong, President of the US-China Business Travel Association and founder of Window of Philadelphia, announced the opening of the conference. Leaders and guests attended the opening ceremony, including Yuan Huizhong, Director of the Yangzhou Foreign Affairs Office; Shao Xueyun, Deputy Director of the Yangzhou Education Bureau; Zhou Wei, Deputy Director of the Yangzhou Foreign Affairs Office; and Yao Jiahong, President of Deno International Education.

The Model United Stage witnessed the transformation of young people

The Canal Cities Model United Nations Conference is a flagship event jointly created by Window of Philadelphia and Deno International Education. Through simulated diplomatic negotiations, the conference systematically enhances young people's skills in speech, critical thinking, planning, research writing, and critical thinking, as well as leadership in teamwork and conflict resolution. At the same time, it broadens international perspectives, deepens understanding of multiculturalism and national perspectives, and helps cultivate young international talents who are world-minded and responsible.

At the opening ceremony, Zhu Shengkai, a representative of the Presidium, took the stage to share his topic from the United Nations Economic and Social Council, which serves as academic advisor—addressing inequality in global value chains. This is a topic of great research value in economics and global governance, and the youth proposed feasible solutions through in-depth discussions during the three-day formal meeting. "From the first time I entered the venue in seventh grade, to today, standing here as a high school graduate, six years have accompanied me almost throughout my entire youth." Outstanding student representative Li Siwei remarked that the Model Union has comprehensively enhanced his overall qualities, planting in his heart the seed that "ordinary people can change the world."

Xu Caoxuan from Yangzhou Baoying High School told reporters that this was his first time participating in the Model United League, and he met many students from other schools. Everyone was enthusiastic about the Model United League, "I hope that through the Model United Nations conference, we can broaden our international perspective and improve our English proficiency." ”

Liu Chuan and Li Wen from the Affiliated High School of Jiangxi Normal University attended the United Nations Economic and Social Council this time, where the topic is discussing inequality in global value chains. "Developed countries handle simple steps like design and packaging, yet they can capture most of the profits; Developing countries, on the other hand, do heavy labor but earn very little profit, which is very unbalanced. She revealed that the core of this conference is to promote a more balanced economic chain, allowing more countries to share in the development dividends. This is Liu Chuan's third time attending the Model United Nations conference. She remarked that from being a "beginner" at first, she has now become proficient in applying the rules and even guiding everyone to complete meetings together. The Model United Nations has provided her with excellent training.