Welcome

Europe Meets China: A Forum for Young Leaders (EMC) is a network of young professionals who have an interest in exploring and strengthening the relations between Europe and China. The ultimate goal of the forum is to enhance and sustain the European-Chinese relationship by empowering the next generation of young leaders from Europe and China.

China, with its fastest growing economy in the world and as one of the BRIC countries, is ever-becoming a prominent member of international politics. The potential for stronger relations with Chinese has not skipped the attention of European countries. The economic cooperation between China and the European region started in the 1970s but the EU only became significantly active with China in the 1990s. Today China has one of the largest economy in the world and it is the second biggest trade partner after the USA for the European Union. 

Despite the deepening economic relations, political and cultural co-operations are becoming more and more outlined. Leaders of the EU and China have started to emphasize the importance of mutual acceptance and understanding and they are fostering cultural diplomacy to solve issues related to human rights and the environment between their nations.
Bilateral cooperation promises to bring more economic, political and cultural benefits in the future for both the EU and China.

The Institute for Cultural Diplomacy now provides a forum to embrace and examine the field of cultural diplomacy and its importance in European-Chinese relations. During a weeklong seminar, participants have the opportunity to get detailed information about the current EU-Chinese relations and discuss their thoughts and ideas about future bilateral cooperation. At the EMC weeklong seminar every participant has the chance to meet prominent experts of the field and work in a multicultural environment. The Forum's weeklong seminar is a perfect opportunity for those who are studying in the field of International Relations, International Business, European Studies and any areas related to EU-Chinese relations, or for those who are simply interested in the present and the future of the cooperation between Europe and China. The forum organizes conferences, public lectures, events and online activities which gives exclusive access to the members of the forum.

Joining the Forum »

Europe Meets China: A Forum for Young Leaders (EMC) is open to all individuals with an interest in exploring and strengthening the European-Chinese relationship. Individuals can join the EMC Forum by taking part in one of the Weeklong Seminars, which are held every 4-6 months.

About EMC Weeklong Seminars »

Weeklong Seminars are held every 6 months and consist of 4-5 day programs of lectures, and workshops, together with cultural and social activities. EMC Weeklong Seminars will be focused on a specific theme related to Cultural Diplomacy and the relations between Europe and China.

Seminar Speakers - The speakers during the Seminar will include leading figures and experts from international politics, the diplomatic community and civil society from across the world. These speakers will include number of individuals from the ICD Advisory Board; to learn more about the ICD Advisory Board please click here.

Certificate of Attendance - All seminar participants will be awarded an official certificate of attendance upon completion of the seminar, which will also provide details of the speakers who took part in the event, and list the topics which were discussed.

If you would like to reserve a position and participate in the seminar, please click on the link below and fill out the online application form:

Participant Papers »

The Institute for Cultural Diplomacy encourages academic research and analysis of issues related to the goals of our Conference. The ICD would therefore like to welcome the participants of our conference to submit a paper they would like to be considered for presentation at the Conference as well as being included in the proposal document that will be issued following the Conference and will be sent to all governments and leaders of the international community.

ICD Alumni Program »

All seminar participants will be invited to join the ICD alumni program. The "ICD Alumni Group" is an international network of like-minded individuals with an interest in further developing the field of cultural diplomacy through the support of intercultural relations. Participation in the group is by invitation only, and is open only to individuals who have taken part in ICD programs. Members of the ICD Alumni Group will benefit from the following opportunities (more).