For two months this semester, high school students in China and Vietnam worked together for the first time in the IVECA virtual exchange program. As part of their projects, students researched the causes and effects of climate change in their countries to discuss possible solutions with partner peers. When they met through the Live Class this week, students enjoyed celebrating their global friendship while shedding light on local cultures as well as each other's collaborative work.
Besides learning about commonly shared environmental impacts of climate change, students from these neighboring countries had a precious opportunity to appreciate the diverse cultures they have. Chinese students introduced beautiful Hanfu, the traditional clothing of Chinese Han people, and Vietnamese students presented a dynamic dance performance filmed in their music club. Smiles on their faces and continued applause from the students showed their mutual attraction and respect for the activities. "...your performance is very attractive. The dance is very powerful, which makes me have an interest in your music," said a Chinese student while their Vietnamese peer commented, "This experience has been enjoyable, and I do hope that we will be able to meet again in the future."
Supporting the students' passionate conclusion to take action to protect the environment, principals stressed the importance of global collaboration to mitigate climate change. The Chinese principal elaborated, "We know that humans have a common destiny so that we will work together to overcome the disasters caused by climate change, and we have to take measures to protect our environment to maintain a green and peaceful life." The Vietnamese principal shared his inspiration in his closing remarks, "I'm very proud of you for your great effort, and I hope that you've learned much from the class and we can do something to improve the situation around the world."