Anji lures youth to strike gold in countryside

The Yucun Global Youth Development College is launched in Yucun village, Anji county, Huzhou, on Sept 14. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A conference focusing on youth dreams kicked off in Yucun village, Anji county, Huzhou, on Sept 14.

Distinguished representatives from government, academia and businesses gathered in the village to discuss how to mobilize youth to return to the countryside and pave a new path for rural vitalization.

Anji has consistently viewed encouraging young people to return to the countryside as a key strategy to drive rural vitalization. In line with this vision, the strategic objective of attracting 100,000 university students has been proposed.

Currently, Yucun has attracted a significant number of young people looking for employment or to start businesses, along with over 500 digital nomads on short-term stays and nearly 30,000 virtual villagers engaging in village life online. For the first time, the proportion of new rural residents has exceeded that of original residents.

On the same day, the Yucun Global Youth Development College was launched, creating a platform for seamless exchange between urban and rural youth. This platform integrates education, training, practical incubation, and resource networking.

From Sept 14 to 18, an autumn fruit art festival took place. Festivities included a forum, band performances, stand-up comedy shows, drum parades, and fun park games. The activities provided an immersive and enriching experience, allowing people to witness the beauty of Yucun's ecology and its journey towards sustainability.