Focusing on the theme of “Youth Creativity and innovation in the age of Media Arts”, the Third International Youth Forum on Creativity and Heritage along the Silk Roads was held in Changsha and Nanjing, China, from 31 March to 6 April 2019. Initiated in 2017, the International Youth Forum on Creativity and Heritage along the Silk Roads aimed is designed to give young people a chance to voice their interests and concerns on advancing creativity, heritage, literature and other disciplines for development, as well as to mobilize their increased involvement within relevant fields.

The third edition of IYF was co-organized by UNESCO, the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO, WFUCA, and the Municipal Governments of Changshaand Nanjing.

During the forum, 125 participants from 86 countries along the Silk Roads and beyond adopted the Changsha Initiative, an action-oriented outcome document highlighting 10 concrete recommendations for action in three consensus areas.

As one organizer, WFUCA sent a five-member delegation to participate this forum. In the seminar, representatives of WFUCA introduced the mandate and priorities of UNESCO, the development and activities of UNESCO Clubs all over the world and the way young people can join the UNESCO Clubs family and practice UNESCO’s initiatives. The young participants showed keen interest in UNESCO club activities. Afterward, some of them expressed their wish to establish UNESCO Clubs in their own countries.

Mr Dhirendra Bhatnagar, President of WFUCA, gave a speech at the closing ceremony to celebrate IYF3 achieving fruitful result, the Changsha Initiative, and encouraged the youth representatives to continuously take part in and promote cultural exchange among different civilizations.