The 2024 Youth Ceramic Culture and Art Festival was held in Jingdezhen, East China’s Jiangxi Province, from Oct 20 to 22. The event was co-organized by the China International Youth Exchange Center (CIYEC), the Jiangxi Youth Federation, CCTV.com and the People’s Government of Jingdezhen. Almost 200 youth representatives from the ceramic art field and international students in China participated in the event.

Chen Peng, Deputy Director of the CIYEC; Hu Zhenyan, Chairwoman of the Jiangxi Youth Federation; Song Daheng, Secretary of the Committee of China Media Group's Jiangxi Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC); and Cui Suxiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Jingdezhen Municipal Committee and Deputy Mayor of Jingdezhen, all addressed the launch ceremony.

During the International Youth Pop Culture Salon and the fourth session of the International Youth Saloon, as part of the art festival, ceramic artists from countries including China, Turkey and South Korea shared their experience in ceramic art creation.

Four young ceramic artists shared their insights on ceramic culture in their speeches, with Pelin Dal, a Turkish artist, saying that ceramic art embodies people's wonderful expectations for the prosperous development of cultural diversity and harmonious coexistence.

Song Yeon-joo, a young South Korean artist, talked about her ceramic artwork titled Memory of the Sea, emphasizing that ceramic art creation should focus on the harmonious relationship between humans and nature and draw nourishment from nature.

Ouyang Min, a member of the 12th All-China Youth Federation (ACYF), Vice-Chairman of the Jiangxi Youth Federation and head of a national-level skill master studio, is committed to the dissemination of ceramic culture. He emphasized that ceramic culture acts as a bridge for exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese and other civilizations. Young people from various countries should act as practitioners of cultural inheritance and innovation to fully explore the unique charm and contemporary value of each country's historical culture, integrate traditional culture with pop culture in ceramic art creation, contributing youthful strength to the common progress of human civilization, he added.

Zhang Bo, Dean of the Ceramic Art and Design Institute at Jingdezhen University, elaborated on the application of ceramic art in space, explaining at length how ceramic culture, representing traditional Chinese culture, can be combined with contemporary pop culture to enrich the diversity of human civilization.

During the cultural salon presided over by Zhang Chen, a member of the Jiangxi Youth Federation and head of the New Youth Hutian Ceramic Community of Jingdezhen, four speakers along with attendees including Ma Huiyuan, a member of the ACYF and a leading talent of the "Ganpo Talents" program, and Xia Haojun, a member of the Jiangxi Youth Federation and founder of Jingdezhen Tongyunshanfang Ceramic Art Co, engaged in vigorous discussions on balancing traditional ceramic culture with modern pop culture in the creation of ceramic works.

More than 30 youth representatives from countries including Pakistan, Indonesia, Russia and Morocco participated in a series of activities, which included research tours on culture and tourism, themed live streaming, market parties, tours tracing the roots of intangible cultural heritage and art exhibitions. They visited the Sanbaopeng Art Gallery and the Home of Jingpiao, an association for uniting talents settling in Jingdezhen to promote traditional culture, tried making ceramics, and delved into the charm of Jingdezhen's ceramic culture.

Participants try making ceramics at the ancient kiln during the 2024 Youth Ceramic Culture and Art Festival in Jingdezhen, East China's Jiangxi Province.

Participants visit the ceramic museum during the 2024 Youth Ceramic Culture and Art Festival in Jingdezhen, East China's Jiangxi Province.

Participants visit Taoyang Alley during the 2024 Youth Ceramic Culture and Art Festival in Jingdezhen, East China's Jiangxi Province.

The event was not only a feast of ceramic culture but also a collision between youth and art. Youth representatives from home and abroad said the event offered them a chance to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of Chinese traditional culture represented by ceramic culture and youth pop culture in different cultures. They said that they hoped to take this event as an opportunity to further enhance communication and understanding among young people from different countries, use ceramics as a medium to make friends, inspire ideas in dialogue and enhance recognition through communication, jointly serving as envoys of exchanges and mutual learning between China and other civilizations.