In celebration of the World Youth Skills Day on 15 July and to foster international exchange among young people through skills, the “Skills in Motion, Youth in Action” program, part of the Shanghai International Youth Friendship Camp, was held on the afternoon of 14 July at the WorldSkills Museum. More than 160 young participants from China and overseas gathered along Shanghai’s Yangpu Riverside, where they explored the world of skills through immersive experiences, discovered the spirit of craftsmanship, and shared a memorable journey of learning and friendship that transcended borders.

Established by the United Nations, World Youth Skills Day promotes skills development for young people worldwide, empowering them with greater opportunities for employment and personal growth while building bridges for international youth dialogue. This year’s Shanghai International Youth Friendship Camp brought together students from 17 countries and regions, including 96 international participants comprising teachers and students. To further encourage cultural exchange through skills, the Shanghai WorldSkills Competition Executive Bureau also invited more than ten award-winning students from the Shanghai Youth “Future Stars – Shanghai Library Cup” WorldSkills Knowledge Promotion and Innovation Model Competition to participate throughout the program.

The program began with guided tours of the WorldSkills Museum, where Chinese and international participants visited the Museum . As the world’s only Museum dedicated exclusively to skills, the Museum’s more than 800 exhibits and wide range of interactive experiences offered young visitors an engaging journey through the evolution of skills while introducing them to the rich heritage of Chinese craftsmanship. Participants took part in the engaging WorldSkills Challenge interactive activities. They experienced the traditional craft of woodblock printing, creating prints featuring  WorldSkills Museum and  WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 emblem, while gaining first-hand insight into the values and spirit of the WorldSkills movement. The mortise-and-tenon assembling challenge further immersed participants in the ingenuity and precision of traditional Chinese woodworking.

Following the museum tour, participants gathered in the Skills Exchange Zone, where winners of the WorldSkills Knowledge Promotion and Innovation Model Competition showcased a variety of projects they had designed and created themselves. Exhibits included traditional Chinese palace lanterns, paper quilling, traditional Chinese frog buttons (an intangible cultural heritage craft), Jiangnan garden models, bamboo craft, a mini-program promoting traditional batik, and intelligent safety helmets. The displays sparked lively conversations, with young people from different countries stopping to admire the work, exchange ideas and share perspectives.

Earlier this year, the Shanghai WorldSkills Competition Executive Bureau, together with the Shanghai Association for Science and Technology, the Shanghai Library, and the Shanghai Association of Senior Scientists and Technologists, jointly launched the Shanghai Youth “Future Stars – Shanghai Library Cup” WorldSkills Knowledge Promotion and Innovation Model Competition. More than 39,000 students from across Shanghai participated. Designed to combine WorldSkills knowledge with hands-on innovation and practical skills, the competition culminated in June following preliminary, semi-final and final rounds.

Among the featured exhibits was the Shanghai Pavilion Lantern with Mortise-and-Tenon Construction, created by Wenyu Lu from Fuxing East Road No. 3 Primary School. Modelled on a traditional Chinese pavilion, the work is constructed entirely using mortise-and-tenon joints, demonstrating both structural ingenuity and refined craftsmanship. Another highlight was Yuhan Hu from Hengyang Foreign Language School, Pudong New Area, whose Revolving Palace Lantern, themed “One Earth, One Family,” rotates automatically when illuminated. The lantern reveals images of an invitation to the Shanghai 2026 WorldSkills Competition, through which Hu warmly invited international participants to visit Shanghai for the Competition. The exhibition created a vibrant atmosphere for exchange, with Chinese and international young people sharing ideas, discussing traditional craftsmanship and learning from one another.

Jiani Wu, recipient of a Medallion for Excellence in Restaurant Service at the 45th WorldSkills Competition, also joined the event to share her journey of pursuing excellence through skills and to warmly invite participants to the Shanghai 2026 WorldSkills Competition. Building on her WorldSkills experience, Wu has developed specialized courses in coffee and beverage service and created several signature drinks, including Sunrise in the East, Bright Orange Future, and an exclusive beverage designed for China’s C919 passenger aircraft. These beverages have since been introduced on commercial flights across China. Now serving as a Chief Flight Attendant, Cabin Crew Training Instructor, and Head of the Skills Master Studio at China Eastern Airlines, Wu demonstrated the lasting impact of skills development and lifelong learning, inspiring young people to realize their ambitions through skills.

A representative of the Shanghai WorldSkills Competition Executive Bureau said:“Skills know no borders, and craftsmanship connects people across cultures. By holding the event on the eve of World Youth Skills Day, we hope to inspire young people around the world to value skills, embrace innovation, and pursue personal growth through skills. Through the WorldSkills Museum, we also hope to introduce the richness of Chinese craftsmanship to an international audience, strengthen mutual understanding among young people, and contribute to the global excitement surrounding the Shanghai 2026 WorldSkills Competition.”