QINGDAO -- The closing ceremony of the 7th China-Africa Youth Festival was held in Qingdao City, east China's Shandong Province on Sunday, with organizers and participants hailing the event's role in promoting exchanges between Chinese and African youths.
During the closing ceremony, the young Africans retraced their trip with a photo retrospective of their time in China. In the seven days, they visited high-tech enterprises and tourist sites, experienced traditional Chinese culture, and participated in discussions on the role of young people in China-Africa relations.

Many said it was an enriching and unforgettable experience.
"We gained a lot of experiences and learned a lot of things. We were also trained. And we actually realized that China and Africa are becoming one community. We are actually one family. We are the same, we have nearly the same culture, and we share a lot of things together," said Linda Ayaa, a representative from Togo.

"I saw China's historical monuments and culture. I had the pleasure to discover the Chinese culture. All that will remain in my memory for the rest of my life," said Yassine Moumad, a representative from Morocco.

The 7th China-Africa Youth Festival kicked off on April 18 in Beijing, bringing together more than 100 young representatives from China and 48 African countries to explore Beijing and Shandong Province.

As young people are the inheritors as well as the promoters of China-Africa friendship, the event was held to provide a platform for young people from both sides to gain a deeper mutual understanding.

Hosted by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation and the Shandong Provincial People's Government, the youth festival was organized following an agreement between leaders of China and African countries at the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in 2015.