A total of 111 youngsters from 32 countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative won awards for their talent and insights on a wide range of global topics on Saturday.

The third Awarding Ceremony of Silk Road & Young Dreams was held in Beijing on Saturday. The competition, held from February to August, attracted more than 700 youth representatives from nearly 50 countries involved in the initiative. They demonstrated their understanding and insights on the BRI and global development through contests in five sectors: speech contest, music, photography, sand painting, and sculpture.

Addressing the ceremony, Li Xikui, vice-chairman of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, said the event was held after overcoming many difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and many contests were held through online platforms.

"We saw many excellent players and works during the contests and the vigor and talent of youths," he said. "These youths have shown enthusiastic support for the Belt and Road Initiative', making us feel more confident about the prospect of global cooperation under the initiative."

Simon Pierre Adovelande, Benin's ambassador to China, said the event provided a good platform for young people to exchange talents, build friendships, and enhance trust. In the future, more Beninese youth will be encouraged to participate in the event.

Fathiya Said, the second winner of the third "Silk Road &Young Dreams" speech contest, said that as the COVID-19 epidemic rages around the world, "health" has once again become a major issue that people care about and urgently need to face".

"As young people, we should attach importance to health, actively promote international exchanges and cooperation, and demonstrate the responsibility to participate in global health governance," she said.

The aim of the contest is to provide the youth who come from different backgrounds and dreams a stage to shine with talents and potentials, and a platform to feel the pulse of the present era and share dreams, as well as a bridge to link up societies, she added.

The Silk Road & Young Dreams was co-organized by the Silk Road Cities Alliance, China Friendship Foundation for Peace and Development, Beijing Belt & Road Cooperative Community and Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at the Renmin University of China.