From July 1 to 9, Tsinghua University's Global Competency Overseas Practice Course Zimbabwe Program team went to Harare and Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, to conduct a systematic study on Zimbabwe's natural ecology, traditional culture, revolutionary history, and social development. This course was led by two senior professors from the School of Journalism and Communication: Professor Yuezhi Zhao, Humanities Chair Professor of Tsinghua University and Professor Hu Yu, Director of the Institute for Culture Creativity at Tsinghua University.

This is the first Tsinghua University student practice course team to officially visit Zimbabwe. During the visiting period in Victoria Falls, students made a field trip to the “Monde” village and the African Tribal Cultural Park project, visited the elementary school built by the villagers of the “Monde” village, and gained an in-depth understanding of the current situation of Zimbabwe's villages and construction. In Harare, students visited the first “Sino-Zimbabwean Agricultural Cooperation Poverty Reduction Demonstration Village” and had a discussion with the Chinese Agricultural Expert Group in Zimbabwe, so as to truly experience the “localization” of China's experience of rural revitalization and Zimbabwe's rural reality. Then, students visited the Chinese-funded enterprise Prospect Lithium to learn about the cooperation between China and Zimbabwe in resource exploitation and sustainable development. Students also went to the Zimbabwe National Museum of Art and the Mbare Art Space and exchanged views with local artists to experience Zimbabwe's humanistic heritage and artistic atmosphere. Moreover, students entered the Tafara V Primary School and the I AM Mbare Primary School to witness the results of the implementation of the Chinese assistance in Zimbabwe. They also visited the China-Zimbabwe Exchange Center, the largest Chinese NGO in Zimbabwe, and interviewed the representative contestants of the “Zimbabwe Star Show”, so as to understand the vigorous power of Sino-Zimbabwean people-to-people exchanges.

Teachers and students of the course participated in the First Harare Forum for Africa-Rural Development Cooperation and Sino-Zimbabwe Civilizational Dialogue Academic Week. Prof. Zhao Yuezhi and Prof. Hu Yu from the School of Journalism and Communication, Tsinghua University were appointed as the Chairperson of the forum and the Director of the board of trustees respectively. Prof. Zhao delivered a keynote speech, while students of the course performed Chinese classical dance, songs, and calligraphy, and introduced Chinese culture. More than 20 Chinese and foreign media and organizations reported on the forum.

Through this Overseas Practice Course, the students had a clearer understanding of the current development of Zimbabwe, the historical partnership between China and Southern Africa, and the development of the China-Africa community of destiny. All members thought deeply about the role of Zimbabwe in China-Africa political and economic cooperation. In the future, they will try to promote humanistic exchanges, to show the enthusiasm and responsibility of youth, and to make the voice of the global South heard.

Written by: Ning Jing, Zhao Yuchen

Photographs by: Chen Yanqing