On May 18, the 2026 Belt and Road Initiative Youth Sports Exchange Week (Jiangsu) opened in Jingjiang. Keasu, an international student from Liberia at NJUIT, was invited to take the stage at the opening ceremony and present the featured program "Ingenuity in Cuju," which blends ancient and modern football culture, showcasing the charm of Sino-foreign sports and cultural exchange with youthful vitality.
Themed "Meeting in the City of Champions,
Bonding Through the Silk Road," this year's exchange week is a flagship cultural exchange event under Jiangsu's Belt and Road Initiative framework, now in its sixth consecutive edition. Nearly 600 young representatives from 55 countries and regions gathered in Jingjiang, using sports as a bridge and culture as a medium to celebrate youth and renew Silk Road friendships.
"Ingenuity in Cuju" uses sports culture as a bond to connect ancient and modern athletic traditions across China and the world. The program seamlessly integrates the traditional art of ancient cuju, the dynamic energy of lion dance, and the vibrancy of modern football—from the heritage of freestyle cuju to the passion of freestyle football—vividly illustrating the collision and resonance of sports across eras while conveying the Silk Road spirit of openness, inclusiveness, and mutual learning. On stage, Keasu moved with agility and delivered a superb performance, interpreting his love for outstanding traditional Chinese culture through his compelling act and earning rounds of applause from the audience.
Participation in this exchange week represents a vivid practice of NJUIT's commitment to deepening international exchange and promoting mutual learning among civilizations. Going forward, the university will continue to leverage Belt and Road Initiative exchange platforms, encouraging Chinese and international youth to use sports and culture as bridges to build youthful solidarity through exchange and mutual learning, injecting fresh energy into telling China's stories well and fostering international friendship.
5月18日，2026“一带一路”青年体育交流周（江苏）在靖江盛大开幕。我校来自利比里亚留学生克阿苏受邀登上开幕式舞台，呈现融合古今足球文化的特色节目《匠心独“鞠”》，以青春风采展现中外体育文化交融魅力。
本届交流周以“相约冠军城共叙丝路情”为主题，是江苏“一带一路”人文交流重要品牌活动，已连续举办六届。来自55个国家和地区的近600名青年代表齐聚靖江，以体育为桥、以文化为媒，共赴青春之约、共叙丝路情谊。
《匠心独“鞠”》以体育文化为纽带，串联古今中外体育脉络。节目将古代蹴鞠传统技艺、舞狮活力与现代足球动感完美融合，从白打蹴鞠底蕴，到花式足球激情，生动展现不同古今体育的碰撞与共鸣，传递开放包容、互学互鉴的丝路精神。舞台上，克阿苏身姿灵动、表演精湛，用精彩演绎诠释对中华优秀传统文化的热爱，赢得现场阵阵掌声。
此次参与交流周，是我校深化国际交流、推动文明互鉴的生动实践。未来，学校将持续依托“一带一路”交流平台，鼓励中外青年以体育为媒、以文化为桥，在交流互鉴中凝聚青春力量，为讲好中国故事、增进国际友谊注入青春动能。
