The Thematic Forum on Creative Economy and Trendy Culture of the 2026 World Youth Development Forum (WYDF), organized by the China International Youth Exchange Center (CIYEC), was held on June 16 in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei province. Nearly 200 young leaders, industry experts, entrepreneurs and creative talent from over 40 countries attended the event.

Among the guests delivering keynote speeches were Nadia Rasheed, representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to China; Wang Yi, vice-president of the All-China Youth Federation; Hu Yabo, vice-mayor of Wuhan and Aytan Aliyeva, president of the Great Silk Way International Youth Union.

Wang emphasized that young people are the most vibrant and creative force in society, serving as pioneers of creative expression, participants in creative industries and drivers of creative consumption. China has integrated youth creativity and entrepreneurship into its youth development policies, actively promoting a "youth economy" centered on youth-oriented creative supply and growth-oriented consumption. He called on young people worldwide to uphold creativity for good, leverage culture as empowerment, and pursue joint creation to inject youthful momentum into global development.

Hu extended a warm a welcom to all attendees, highlighting Hubei's robust development momentum, prominent strengths in scienice and education, strategic connectivity and dynamic youth population. The province will further enhance policy support, strengthen platforms, foster an enabling ecosystem, and expand opening-up to deepen international cooperation in creative economy and cultural trends, contributing Hubei's youthful strength to global civilizational exchanges, said Hu.

Rasheed noted that the future could not be shaped by policies and technology alone, but also requires young people's creativity, culture, and imagination. The creative economy is not only a new engine for growth, but also a powerful force for creating livelihoods, promoting inclusion, connecting communities and generating solutions. She encouraged young creators around the world to create for equality, safety and dignity, and to continue advancing sustainable development through creativity.

Aliyeva said that ideas, innovation, knowledge and creativity have become core drivers of development in the current global landscape. She called on young people to tap into creative opportunities, practice sustainable innovation, deepen cross-cultural dialogue and unleash youth potential for a more inclusive and better future.

During the keynote session, speakers discussed topics including creative economy-driven urban development, global cooperation and the revitalization of traditional culture. Representatives agreed that unlocking cultural value, harnessing the power of youth and deepening industrial collaboration were key engines of long-term growth of industries and cities.

In the Youth Pioneer Dialogue, artists and entrepreneurs exchanged views on topics including "From Consumers to Co-creators, From Creativity to Space" and interacted with the audience. They agreed that the creative economy will become an important bridge for global youth connectivity and win-win cooperation, while youth innovation rooted in culture and supported by international cooperation will serve as a core driver for urban transformation and new consumption.

The forum released two co-created artworks — the musical piece Young Heart and the painting With Youth For Youth. These artworks express a shared youth vision of joining hands to build a brighter world.

The forum also launched the International Youth Innovation and Creativity Network, aiming to unite global youth in technology, cultural creativity and industrial practices. The network will serve as an international platform to connect creative minds, empower growth and co-create value, linking premium industrial resources, innovation spaces and investment to support youth innovation and creative projects.

The Thematic Forum on Creative Economy and Trendy Culture is one of the three themative forums of the 2026 WYDF. It was hosted by the All-China Youth Federation and the Organizing Committee of the World Youth Development Forum, organized by the CIYEC, the Hubei Youth Federation, the Wuhan Youth Federation and co-organized by Hubei University and China University of Geosciences (Wuhan).

Liu Aiping, Chairwoman of the Governing Council of the CIYEC and Deputy Director Wang Yi attended the forum.

Collaborative musical work Young Heart

Collaborative artwork With Youth For Youth