About the "Poverty Alleviation Challenge"
Poverty alleviation is a common challenge for developing countries and a global one. In 2024, the Tsinghua University Latin America Center, the China-Latin America Management Research Center at Tsinghua SEM, and the Tsinghua University Student Global Competence Development Guidance Center, in collaboration with Latin American university partners, initiated and launched the "China-Latin American Youth Responding to Global Challenges: 2024 Poverty Alleviation Challenge" in China, Brazil, and Chile, sparking a wave of university-led poverty reduction dialogue between China and Latin America. In November of the same year, during Chinese President Xi Jinping's attendance at the G20 Summit and state visit to Brazil, Tsinghua University and Brazil's Federal University of Rio de Janeiro signed a cooperation agreement for this project. The agreement was included in the list of visit outcomes, becoming a flagship project for win-win development between China and Latin America. Building on this foundation, the "2025 Poverty Alleviation Challenge," jointly organized by Tsinghua University and Latin American partner institutions, attracted over 310 teachers and students from 27 universities and enterprises across four China-Latin America countries. Twelve teams advanced to the transnational finals held in Chile and Brazil. The "2026 Poverty Alleviation Challenge" will innovate further based on the 2025 edition, injecting new momentum into the global cause of poverty reduction. Through transnational team formation, competition, and field study tours, it will gather the strength of Chinese and Latin American youth to explore poverty reduction solutions. Winning teams will also have the opportunity to participate in study and exchange trips to Latin America. If you aspire to contribute new energy to the global poverty reduction cause, now is the best time to start.
On the evening of May 7, 2026, Beijing time, the "China-Latin American Youth Responding to Global Challenges: 2026 Poverty Alleviation Challenge" China-Chile Poverty Alleviation Lecture was successfully held at Tsinghua University's Jianhua Building. This China-Chile lecture was the first event in the "2026 Poverty Alleviation Challenge" series. It was hosted by Professor Chen Taotao, Professor of Finance at Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management (SEM), Director of the Tsinghua University Latin America Center, and Director of the China-Latin America Management Research Center at Tsinghua SEM. The lecture was divided into two halves, attracting over 150 scholars and young students from China, Brazil, Chile, Peru, and other countries to participate both online and offline. The atmosphere for on-site exchange was enthusiastic.
Figure: Group Photo of All Attendees
The "2026 Poverty Alleviation Challenge" is co-founded by Tsinghua University, the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, University of Chile, and Universidad del Pacífico (Peru). It is co-organized by the Chinese Embassy in Brazil, the São Paulo School of Business Administration of the Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV EAESP), and the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru. The event aims to build a cross-cultural exchange platform for Chinese and Latin American youth, encouraging students to leverage their professional advantages, build consensus through mutual learning, and explore innovative solutions to global poverty challenges with youthful wisdom.
Figure: Professor Chen Taotao Delivering the Keynote Speech
The "2026 Poverty Alleviation Challenge" has received support from the Chinese Embassy in Brazil, the Chinese Consulate General in Rio de Janeiro, the Brazilian Embassy in China, the Chinese Embassy in Chile, the Chilean Embassy in China, the Chinese Embassy in Peru, and the Peruvian Embassy in China. Well-known domestic and international enterprises, including Envision Group, CGE Group (Chile), Minera Las Bambas S.A. (Peru), Zhongshan (Beijing) Cultural Industry Co., Ltd., China Mobile International (Chile), Kuaishou International Business Unit, and BOCOM BBM S.A. (Brazil), have provided important support for the competition.
Figure: Ms. Maribel Florez Delivering a Welcome Speech
In the first half of the lecture, Professor Chen Taotao first extended a welcome to young friends from various countries and introduced the project background and vision of the "Poverty Alleviation Challenge." Poverty alleviation has always been one of the core development issues in Latin America and the Caribbean, and it is increasingly receiving widespread attention from the international community. The "Poverty Alleviation Challenge" focuses on Chinese and Latin American youth groups, dedicated to building a cross-cultural, interdisciplinary, and cross-country exchange platform to promote mutual learning of poverty alleviation experiences among nations and encourage youth to collectively contemplate global development issues.
Figure: Lecture Scene
Subsequently, Professor Chen Taotao, along with Feng Jian and Qiao Ziyi, PhD candidates from the Tsinghua University Latin America Center, shared on the theme of "China's Poverty Alleviation Practice." They systematically reviewed the development history, policy logic, and practical experience of poverty alleviation in China. Combining cases from Laishui, Hebei, and Cili, Hunan, they analyzed how China promotes rural poverty alleviation and sustainable development through industrial development, infrastructure construction, and rural governance innovation, demonstrating the enlightening significance of China's poverty alleviation experience for global development.
At the beginning of the second half of the lecture, Ms. Maribel Florez, Director of the Office of Global Learning under the Vice Presidency for International Affairs of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, delivered a welcome speech. She stated that China and Latin America have broad space for cooperation in the fields of poverty alleviation and sustainable development, and the "Poverty Alleviation Challenge" provides an important platform for Chinese and Latin American youth to jointly discuss social issues and deepen cross-cultural understanding. She encouraged young students to actively participate in international cooperation and explore innovative social development solutions through exchange and practice.
Assistant Professor Flavia Zacconi from the School of Chemistry at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile delivered a special lecture titled "Meaningful Innovation: From Scientific Discovery to Social Transformation." Starting from the perspective of combining scientific research with social needs, she introduced how interdisciplinary innovation drives the resolution of social problems, with a focus on sharing practical cases in public health, materials science, and other fields that promote public welfare and sustainable development. She pointed out that truly meaningful innovation stems not only from scientific breakthroughs but also from a response to and care for social realities.
During the interactive Q&A session, young students from China and Latin American countries actively asked questions regarding rural poverty alleviation, e-commerce development, technological innovation, youth participation in global governance, and other topics. Experts present provided in-depth answers and exchanges. The discussions fully demonstrated the high level of concern among Chinese and Latin American youth regarding global poverty alleviation and sustainable development issues, further stimulating exploratory, innovative, and cross-cultural cooperative thinking among the students.
In the future, the "2026 Poverty Alleviation Challenge" will continue to launch a series of international lectures, competition events, and transnational field study programs. This will further promote in-depth exchanges and practical cooperation between Chinese and Latin American youth on global development challenges, jointly contributing youthful strength to building a more inclusive and sustainable future for global development.
The replay video of the China-Chile Poverty Alleviation Lecture is here! Review the exciting content with one click:
Link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/DMVGc5EbvOxaACWKPEbsiV-g5R_Awownf5MlyyF0Mor__3tE7hqSn1he0HK68jNL.JG_oJkeACQWQ4F63
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