Throughout the summer of 2026, three Chinese Culture and Global Communication (CCGC) juniors—Sylvia Liu Yihong，Cecilia Zhao Minxi and Ray Wang Tianrui—embarked on three distinct yet equally illuminating paths of experiential learning. Sylvia Liu joined the Thessaloniki International Media Summer Academy (THISAM) in Greece, engaging with global peers on the challenges and ethics of contemporary journalism. Cecilia Zhao travelled to Vancouver to study Asian immigration history at the University of British Columbia, immersing herself in Canada’s multicultural mosaic. Ray Wang interned at the China Grand Canal Museum in Yangzhou, where he explored how traditional heritage can be revitalized through new media. Though their destinations and foci varied, all three shared a common commitment: to move beyond the classroom and encounter culture, communication, and history firsthand—exactly the kind of engaged learning that lies at the heart of our CCGC program.

Sylvia Liu Yihong– Thessaloniki International Media Summer Academy (THISAM), Greece

This summer, Sylvia Liu joined the Thessaloniki International Media Summer Academy (THISAM) in Greece—a program that marked its tenth anniversary this year. Convened by Professor Nikos Panagiotou and a consortium of 15 partner universities, including Temple University, Concordia University, and Beijing Normal-Hong Kong Baptist University, the academy brought together 71 participants from 19 countries. Under the theme “Unveiling Tomorrow’s Media: Challenges and Tools in Communication”, they explored AI's impact on journalism, media literacy, disinformation, and journalist safety. As Professor Panagiotou reminded participants: “Substantive journalism is not limited to the speed of information, but concerns understanding, interpretation and making sense of events, elements that remain irreplaceable even in the age of artificial intelligence.”

Three highlights defined her journey. First, in the lakeside town of Kastoria, she participated in a workshop led by visual anthropologist Dr. Dimitrios Bouras on “The Image of War: Visual Anthropology, Conflict Reporting and Collective Memory.” Engaging with peers from diverse national and professional backgrounds, Sylvia Liu discovered how visual anthropology frames war not merely as spectacle but as lived human experience, and how collective memory shapes—and is shaped by—conflict reporting. The discussion gave her multiple lenses to read the relationship between image, truth and ethics in journalism, a perspective she now carries back to her CCGC studies.

Participants Sylvia Liu (China), Purity (South Africa) and Natasha (Canada) join a workshop discussion led by visual anthropologist Dr. Dimitrios Bouras on conflict reporting and collective memory during the opening session of the Thessaloniki International Media Summer Academy in Kastoria, Greece.

Second, together with Greek and Chinese teammates, she produced a short video titled When Sages Dream—In Search of Truth in the Age of AI. Inspired by their cross-cultural composition, they staged a dreamlike dialogue between Confucius and Socrates, using classical wisdom from both civilizations to address the challenges of discerning truth in an AI-saturated media environment. The video, praised by faculty for its originality and conceptual depth, exemplified how East-West philosophical traditions can inform contemporary media ethics.

The cross‑cultural production team—Sylvia (BNBU, China), Sitong (East China University of Science and Technology), Yuhan (BNBU, China), and Elle (Greece)—pose for a group photo during completing their short video “When Sages Dream”, which stages a dialogue between Confucius and Socrates to explore media ethics in the AI era, during the July 2026 academy in Greece.

Third, during a fieldwork session in Thessaloniki's Chinatown, the Chinese team interviewed the President and Secretary-General of the Association of Chinese-Greek Friendship. Sylvia Liu learned about the history of Chinese migration to the city and the mutual aid networks that sustain the community—stories of resilience, solidarity and cultural preservation that resonate deeply with CCGC’s commitment to understanding Chinese culture in global contexts.

BNBU students and faculty (Prof. Holger Briel and Ms. Fei Dai; back row, first from right and left) visited the President and Secretary‑General of the Association of Chinese‑Greek Friendship at the association’s office in Thessaloniki’s Chinatown, discussing the history of Chinese overseas and mutual-aid networks between China and Greece.

Cecilia Zhao Minxi– UBC Summer Program on Asian Immigration History, Canada

This summer, Cecilia Zhao took part in the summer school program at the University of British Columbia, enrolling in a course focusing on Asian immigration history. Taught through an interactive, collaborative approach, the course emphasizes student engagement, critical reflection and group-based discussion. Studying alongside peers from diverse global backgrounds exposed her to a wide range of cultural viewpoints, granting her an authentic, meaningful cross-cultural learning experience.

The program incorporated thoughtfully designed in-class cultural sessions alongside structured off-campus field excursions. Under faculty guidance, international participants exchanged and engaged with diverse cultural practices, including Chinese Mahjong and East Asian food traditions. These carefully curated activities transcended textbook learning, breaking down cultural barriers and fostering dynamic, equitable intercultural dialogue. On field-site visits, Cecilia Zhao explored local heritage locations, gaining firsthand insight into Canadian history, local social customs, and the evolution of immigrant communities.

Cecilia Zhao Minxi, together with her classmates, participated in a site visit study tour at the Richmond Canning Factory during the summer school program.

Cecilia Zhao poses for a photo with her instructor after receiving her certificate of completion at the closing ceremony of the summer school program.

This comprehensive learning experience deepened Cecilia Zhao’s appreciation of Canada as an inclusive, multicultural society. Rooted in Indigenous, French and British cultural heritages, Canada possesses an inherent foundation for pluralism. During the 1960s, the country repealed discriminatory immigration measures, before formally enshrining multiculturalism as official state policy in 1971. Rejecting the model of a single dominant national culture, Canada embraces immigrants of varied origins and has developed its distinctive “cultural mosaic.” Insights gained from the Asian Immigration History course further illustrate how Canada has long accommodated Asian immigrant communities and respected their unique cultural heritage.

Ray Wang Tianrui – Internship at China Grand Canal Museum, Yangzhou, China

In the summer of 2026, Ray Wang interned at the China Grand Canal Museum in Yangzhou. He worked in the museum’s Social Services Department, mainly focusing on social education. During his internship, he took an active part in organizing and delivering educational activities for visitors. He assisted with events celebrating the museum’s fifth anniversary, welcoming and guiding visitors to learn about the collections, and introduced the history and culture of the Grand Canal. He also supported a special lecture on Zibo’s traditional glass art by photographing the event and coordinating its schedule.

Ray Wang Tianrui with an international volunteer at the service counter of the China Grand Canal Museum.

In addition to working directly with visitors, Ray Wang contributed to the museum’s cultural promotion on social media. While writing a RedNote post for a special exhibition on ancient Greece and Rome, he noticed the unusually melancholy expression of a Cupid statue. Using this detail as a starting point, he introduced the history behind the exhibit in a lively and engaging way. The post successfully attracted interest and interaction from younger audiences.

A scene of “Splendour and Dust: Imprints of Ancient Greek and Roman Civilizations,” a special exhibition jointly organized by the China Grand Canal Museum and National Museums Liverpool, United Kingdom.

Head of Eros (Cupid), 2nd century AD, marble, Collection of National Museums Liverpool, United Kingdom.

This internship changed Ray Wang’s previous view of museums as places that simply display cultural relics. He came to see how lively and active they can be as platforms for cultural communication. While helping with on-site activities and writing social media posts, he realized that traditional culture needs to connect with the interests of young people and find fresh forms of expression in the age of new media. Many visitors shared their experiences and photos on social media after visiting the museum, and some of their RedNote posts received a great deal of attention. This showed him the important role that social media users and the public can play in cultural communication. He believes that traditional culture can truly reach wider audiences through interaction only when people become interested in it and are inspired to tell its stories in their own words.

Lessons Across Cultural Borders

Across these three experiences, several shared takeaways emerged that resonate deeply with CCGC studies.

First, they all witnessed how cultural meaning is actively constructed through dialogue and interaction. Cecilia Zhao’s exchanges with international classmates over Mahjong and food traditions, Sylvia Liu’s cross-cultural video project bridging Confucius and Socrates, and Ray Wang’s conversations with museum visitors all underscored that culture is not a static artefact but a living, negotiated process.

Second, they each grappled with the role of media—whether traditional, digital, or social—in shaping public understanding. Ceclia examined how immigration narratives are framed in Canadian history; Sylvia analyzed visual reporting and AI’s impact on truth; Ray used social media to make ancient artefacts relatable to younger audiences. In each case, they realized that effective communication requires both ethical responsibility and creative adaptation to new platforms and audiences.

Third, their experiences reinforced the importance of empathy and context. Whether learning about the struggles of Asian immigrants in Canada, the solidarity of Chinese diaspora communities in Greece, or the stories behind canal relics in China, they came to appreciate that meaningful cultural transmission begins with listening and understanding—principles that are foundational to their CCGC major.

A Summer to Remember, A Future to Build

This summer, three students, each in their own corner of the world, demonstrated in their own ways that “Chinese Culture and Global Communication” is not an abstract, out-of-reach concept, but a tangible practice that transcends geo-political borders and cultures. Their experiences taught them when we step out of our comfort zones, embrace diverse perspectives, and use every means at our disposal—whether face-to-face conversation or AI-assisted content creation—to tell stories that deserve to be heard, cultural communication truly thrives at its most vibrant. We hope their journeys inspire fellow BNBU students to seize every opportunity to learn, connect, and contribute, whether abroad or at home. After all, the world is our classroom, and every summer is a new chapter waiting to be written with care and purpose.

Authors and Photos:

Sylvia Liu Yihong

Cecilia Zhao Minxi

Ray Wang Tianrui

Editor: Wei Chin Wong