The historic city of Budapest, nestled along the Danube River, has become a vibrant hub for global youth as the Rong Chang Cup Youth Innovation Competition on Global Governance (YICGG) kicked off on July 22. Over 100 guests and participants from more than 30 countries have gathered to engage in discussions and brainstorm innovative solutions under the theme Society with AI: Humanity and Sustainability.
This marks the return of YICGG to Europe for the first time in eight years since its successful event in Milan, Italy. The event is also highlighted by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Fudan University and John von Neumann University, and integrating two Hungarian universities, John von Neumann University and Budapest Metropolitan University, into the YICGG core working network.
The event coincides with the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Hungary, symbolizing the deep-rooted friendship between the two nations. Hungary, known for its Nobel laureates, places great emphasis on nurturing innovative talents, a commitment shared by the National Bank of Hungary, which has established collaborative ties with several institutions, including Fudan University.
György Matolcsy, governor of the National Bank of Hungary and honorary professor at Fudan University, met the guests before the opening ceremony. Barnabás Virág, deputy governor of the National Bank of Hungary, Chinese Ambassador to Hungary GONG Tao, Tamás Fülöp, rector of John von Neumann University, CHEN Zhimin, vice president of Fudan University, WANG Jianming, honorary chairman of the Shanghai Rongchang Public Welfare Foundation, Péter Rada, vice rector of Budapest Metropolitan University, and Anna Paula Nishio de Sousa, chief of Division of Digital Transformation and AI Strategies, UNIDO addressed the ceremony.
Their speeches underscored the profound impact of AI on global economic and social development and the importance of ensuring that AI development benefits all, especially developing countries that have yet to reap the full benefits of AI advancements. There was a collective call for international cooperation to advance the implementation of AI capacity-building initiatives and to empower sustainable development through AI for Good.
Since its inception in 2007, YICGG has evolved into a global platform for students to exchange innovative ideas and explore solutions to global issues. With participants from 103 countries and regions, and over 2904 individuals from more than 330 universities, YICGG continues to expand its reach, welcoming new participants from Slovakia, Afghanistan, Argentina, Malawi, and Croatia, among others.
This year’s competition saw 81 contestants from 38 countries advance to the finals after a rigorous selection process. Contestants proposed creative solutions ranging from optimizing labor market data collection using AI to support economic transformation in global south countries, to proposing an AI ethics cooperation initiative for BRICS countries based on a human-machine-environment interaction framework.
It is very important for all of us to find feasible and effective ways to govern AI, and this event provides an opportunity for us to understand each other and engage in cultural exchanges, said István Hollósi, a participant from John von Neumann University. This Hungarian youth noted that his previous understanding of China-Hungary tie was mainly in the context of major project cooperations. However, this event allowed him to gain a more direct understanding of the diverse cultures of China and other countries from a cultural exchange perspective, like filling in an important piece of the puzzle.
In the upcoming days, participants will be divided into nine World Teams to develop innovative proposals based on the final theme. The final round will include various segments such as Ignite Talk, Field Work, Global Governance Forum, World Café, We Youth Common Agenda, and Final Presentation, fostering an environment for intense intellectual exchange and dialogue.
YICGG2024 introduces the Global Governance Forum and the Best Award of Governance (BAG) Announcement Ceremony, aiming to create a dialogue platform that brings together global wisdom to inspire innovative thinking and a global perspective among young participants.
The competition is organized by Fudan University and the Shanghai Rongchang Public Welfare Foundation, co-hosted by the National Bank of Hungary, John von Neumann University, and Budapest Metropolitan University, and undertaken by the School of International Relations and Public Affairs at Fudan University. As the first international innovation competition and youth public welfare project in the field of global governance initiated by Chinese university students, YICGG remains committed to fostering future leaders in global governance by focusing on cutting-edge issues and core concerns in the field.
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Presented by Fudan University
Writer: WANG Mengqi
Editor: Li Yijie
Designer: WANG Mengqi