I.Background

China and Africa enjoy a long-standing friendship that has been growing stronger over time. The amicable ties between the two peoples serve as the bedrock for the growth of China-Africa relations, and people-to-people exchanges continuously fuel the vitality of this enduring friendship across generations. President Xi Jinping pointed out, “The foundation and lifeline of China-Africa relations lie with the people. Therefore, the development of our relations should be more people-oriented.” At the 2024 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (hereinafter referred to as FOCAC), President Xi announced that the two sides agreed to designate 2026 as the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges (hereinafter referred to as the Year).

To implement the important consensus reached by Chinese and African leaders and the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit, the two sides will host a series of people-to-people exchange activities under the theme of Consolidate All-Weather Friendship, Pursue Shared Dream of Modernization, as we celebrate in 2026 the 70th anniversary of the start of diplomatic relations between China and African countries. These activities aim to promote exchanges and mutual learning among the Chinese and African civilizations and strengthen people-to-people bonds, amity and cooperation, thus solidifying the public support for China-Africa friendship. In this process, China will act upon the principles of sincerity, real results, amity, and good faith guiding its Africa policy, and tap the potential for further cooperation in various fields, so as to reinvigorate the joint endeavors of China and Africa to advance modernization, and make contributions to building the all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era and pursuing the shared dream of modernization.

II.Tentative Program

At the beginning of 2026, the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges will commence with a launching ceremony unveiling key activities. Friends from across China and Africa are welcome to attend.

Throughout the year, guided by the principles of people-centered engagement, cross-cultural synergy and shared benefits, China and Africa will carry out wide-ranging activities that involve diverse communities and sectors, focusing on education, culture, tourism, publishing, sports, science and technology, people’s livelihood and green development, pooling the strengths of youth, women, media and think tanks, and mobilizing resources at sub-national and non-governmental levels. The program will include but not limited to the following:

Young Leaders

To encourage mutual learning and foster enduring friendships among the younger generation, the two sides will intensify youth exchanges by convening the China-Africa Youth Festival, the China-Africa Youth Culture Forum, the China-Africa Future Leaders’ Dialogue, and the China-Africa Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, establishing the China-Africa Youth Space Alliance, and facilitating visits by young African political party leaders and government officials to China for study trips and multilateral exchanges.

Culture Kaleidoscope 

To promote mutual understanding, mutual affinity and mutual appreciation between the two peoples, the two sides will advance exchanges in the fields of culture, tourism, film and television, publishing, sports, etc. through activities such as the China-Africa Exchange Month Featuring Cultural Silk Road, the China-Africa Cultural and Tourism Exchange Conference, the Conference on Dialogue Between Chinese and African Civilizations, the China-Africa Wushu Conference, and the China-Africa Audio-Visual Program Screening. The two sides will also promote internet celebrity interaction, and encourage holding photo exhibitions in each other’s countries and participating in book exhibitions and other cultural and tourism promotion events hosted by the other side.

Livelihood Boosters

To bring more tangible benefits of China-Africa friendship to the people, the two sides will deepen exchanges and cooperation in the areas of health, poverty reduction, public welfare, livelihood, well-being of people with disabilities, etc. by holding such activities as the FOCAC Poverty Reduction and Development Conference, the “100 Medical Teams in 1,000 Villages” program and the Seminar on Poverty Reduction and Development for African Officials, and facilitating the establishment of more sister-city relations.

Symphony of Ideas

To enhance sharing of experience in national governance and modernization, the two sides will step up exchange of ideas among think tanks and media, and at the people-to-people level, by organizing events such as the Seminar on Chinese Modernization and African Development, and the China-Africa Friendship Organization Leaders Meeting. China will invite delegations from the African Union’s Economic, Social and Cultural Council and African countries to visit China for research and exchanges.

Talent Incubators

To translate talent resources into drivers of modernization, the two sides will strengthen exchanges and cooperation in education, vocational training, women’s empowerment, ICT and AI technologies through the China-Africa Innovation Cooperation and Development Forum, the Capability Enhancement Program for African Female Leaders, the African Women Entrepreneurship Empowerment Program, and the African Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program, etc.

At the end of the year, the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges will conclude with a ceremony to take stock of the events held throughout the year, showcase the achievements, and issue certificates for exemplary projects. There will also be cultural performances at the ceremony.

III.Publicizing

Both sides will invite Chinese and African media to cover the activities of the Year, invite the relevant institutions of the two sides to promote the activities and their outcomes, and tap into the potential of new media such as social media and self-media platforms, to encourage greater public engagement and amplify the impact of the Year.

Português: 

Documento Conceitual do Ano China-África de Intercâmbio entre os Povos de 2026