About the 2025 Poverty Alleviation Challenge
Co-hosted by Tsinghua University, the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, the University of Chile, the Universidad del Pacífico in Peru and Minera Las Bambas S.A., the 2025 Poverty Alleviation Challenge attracted the participation of more than 310 teachers and students from 27 universities and enterprises across four countries: China, Brazil, Chile and Peru. The Challenge is structured into two stages – the Preliminary Competition and the Transnational Final, aiming to promote cross-cultural communication and collaboration, and inspire the innovative thinking and practical capabilities of global youth in the field of poverty alleviation.
On June 7, 2025, the Preliminary Competition of the 2025 Poverty Alleviation Challenge was successfully held, with Tsinghua University as the offline main venue and Latin American participants competing simultaneously in a hybrid online and offline format. After a fierce competition, 12 innovative teams stood out and advanced to the Transnational Final. In August 2025, the Transnational Final of the Challenge was held in Brazil and Chile successively.
In January 2026, 32 Latin American university students who made it to the final came to China for cultural immersion activities, including face-to-face exchanges with Chinese teachers and students, visits to China's poverty alleviation bases and institutions, and Chinese cultural tours.
The 2025 Poverty Alleviation Challenge received support from the Chinese Embassy in Brazil, the Consulate-General of China in Rio de Janeiro, the Brazilian Embassy in China, the Chinese Embassy in Chile, the Chilean Embassy in China and the Chinese Embassy in Peru. We sincerely express our gratitude to renowned domestic and foreign enterprises for their strong support for the event, including Envision Group, CGE, Minera Las Bambas S.A., China Mobile International (Chile), Kuaishou International Business (KSIB) and Banco BOCOM BBM S.A..
On January 19, 2026, more than 40 Latin American teachers and students from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, the University of Chile, the Universidad del Pacífico in Peru and Minera Las Bambas S.A. embarked on a unique cultural experience tour in Beijing. During the trip, they visited the Juyongguan Great Wall, tasted authentic Beijing cuisine, and toured the Tsinghua University campus. They felt the profound heritage of traditional Chinese culture and the vibrant development of modern China up close, deepening the understanding and cognition of Chinese culture among Chinese and Latin American youth and injecting fresh vitality into the friendly exchanges between the two sides.
In the morning, the teachers and students arrived at the Juyongguan Great Wall. As a precious military pass on the Great Wall of China, Juyongguan is world-famous for its magnificent, spectacular, perilous and steep natural scenery and profound historical heritage. As early as the Jin Dynasty, it was ranked first among the "Eight Scenes of Yanjing" as "Juyong Green Layers", and it also enjoys the reputation of "the Most Magnificent Pass under Heaven". Despite the bitter cold and piercing mountain wind in winter, everyone's enthusiasm remained undiminished. On the bus to and from the scenic spot, the tour guide explained the urban stories of Beijing and the cultural connotation of the Great Wall in detail to the students with historical allusions. The vivid stories filled the students with yearning for this architectural miracle carrying Chinese civilization.
After arriving at the scenic spot, during the climb, the Latin American teachers and students often stopped to stroke the ancient city bricks that have witnessed thousands of years of vicissitudes, their fingertips gliding over the rough textures, deeply feeling the great momentum and perseverance of Chinese civilization. Standing on the beacon tower, several students looked far into the distance, talked excitedly pointing at the rolling "Juyong Green Layers", and raised their cameras one after another to freeze this magnificent landscape in the lens, their faces brimming with the joy of climbing high and looking far.
Latin American teachers and students heading to the Great Wall
Group photo at the Great Wall
On-site photo of the Great Wall (1)
On-site photo of the Great Wall (2)
On-site photo of the Great Wall (3)
At lunchtime, the teachers and students came to Haiwanju Noodle House, a restaurant full of old Beijing charm. Amid grey brick walls, grey tiles and carved lattice windows, waiters dressed in mandarin jackets and melon skin hats greeted guests warmly, instantly bringing the Latin American students into the folk customs of old Beijing. When the steaming fried sauce noodles were served, the rich sauce aroma instantly whetted everyone's appetite. Many Latin American students tried to stir the noodles with chopsticks like the locals; although their movements were a little clumsy, they nodded and praised repeatedly after taking the first bite, expressing their love for this authentic delicacy. In a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere, food became a warm bridge connecting each other's emotions.
Latin American students getting ready for meals at Haiwanju
In the afternoon, the itinerary moved to the Tsinghua University campus. In this century-old university, the Latin American teachers and students wandered among the Second Gate, the Great Hall and the Shuimu Tsinghua Scenic Area. They stopped and stared intently in front of the sundial engraved with the school motto "Deeds Speak Louder Than Words", some thinking deeply with their heads down, some talking in low voices with classmates beside them. From the Tsinghua Xuetang with German classical style to the modern teaching facilities, they walked and watched all the way, sometimes listening to the explanation attentively, sometimes interacting with Tsinghua students with a smile. They personally felt the academic atmosphere of this higher education institution and the spiritual inheritance of "Self-Improvement and Social Commitment", and gained a direct understanding of the development achievements of China's higher education.
Group photo in front of the Old Gate
Group photo in front of Shuimu Tsinghua
This Beijing cultural experience activity is a vivid practice of exchanges between Chinese and Latin American youth. Through climbing the Great Wall, tasting delicious food and visiting a prestigious university, the Latin American students not only felt the dual charm of Chinese tradition and modernity up close, but also built a bridge for communication between Chinese and Latin American youth. Taking this immersive cultural experience as a link, the activity effectively enhanced mutual understanding and trust between Chinese and Latin American youth. In the days to come, this experience will continue to play a role, making the flower of cultural mutual learning bloom more brilliantly in the joint progress of the younger generation.
