Youth encouraged to apply to participate in 2014 Beijing Sister-City Youth Camp

The Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia invites DC youth ages 18 to 25 to represent the District of Columbia in the 2014 International Youth Organization Forum and Beijing Sister-City Youth Camp. The events take place October 20 to 26, 2014 in Beijing, China.

Last year, there were 162 campers from Beijing's 32 sister cities from 26 countries who participated in the program. The participants spent a week in Beijing and took trips to such featured landmarks as the Forbidden City, Great Wall of China, and Peking University. The participants also had an opportunity to learn Chinese martial arts, calligraphy and traditional Chinese etiquette. In addition, the group was assigned a topic to present for a forum discussion.

The host in China will cover all expenses, including accommodation, meals, and local travel. The only costs incurred by the participants are the plane fare and the Visa application fee. This youth camp is one of the projects under the Washington and Beijing Sister City Agreement (PDF).

To be considered for this program, applicants need to submit the following information by Friday, August 29, 2014.

1. Brief description of yourself (including age and school attended) and why you are the right candidate to represent the District in this program.
2. One page essay on this year's theme: The Role of Youth in the City's Sustainability Program. If you are selected, you and your teammates will be required to work collectively and prepare a paper and presentation n this topic for a forum of discussion in Beijing.

The Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia will conduct a selection process and choose the finalists by September 9, 2014. The participants who are selected MUST be able to secure funding for roundtrip tickets Washington-Beijing (around $1,300) and pay the fee of $140 for a Chinese Visa. A passport is required that is valid until, at a minimum, the date of April 20, 2015.

Email the required information to BeijingYouthCamp@dc.gov.

Additional information is available from Wiwiek Rembrandt by phone (202-727-6306) or email, BeijingYouthCamp@dc.gov.

This will be the District's second year of participation in a program co-hosted by the Foreign Affairs Office of the People's Government of Beijing Municipality, Beijing People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and the Beijing Youth Federation.