On the afternoon of August 22, 2024, Chilean time, the final round of the "China-Latin America 2024 Youth Challenge to Alleviate Poverty (Chile)" took place. The event was co-organized by Tsinghua University and Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC). More than 100 students and faculty from Tsinghua University, UC, Universidad de Chile, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Universidad Tecnológica de Santa María, and other Chilean universities participated. The competition received strong support from the Chinese Embassy in Chile and the Chilean Embassy in China.

Group photo at the Final of 2024 Poverty Alleviation Camp in Chile

CHEN Taotao, professor in the Department of Finance at the School of Economics and Management, Tsinghua University (Tsinghua SEM), director of the Latin American Center at Tsinghua University, and director of the Center for China-Latin America Management Studies at Tsinghua SEM, and Professor Lilian Ferrer, vice rector for International Affairs, UC, led the competition. Francisco A. Gallego, professor at the Institute of Economics and the UC Institute for Sustainable Developmemt, scientific director of the Latin America and Caribbean Office of J-PAL; Flavia Zacconi, professor in the Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, UC; Cristian Díaz, director of Global Mobility, Vice Rector's Office for International Affairs, UC; Fernando Sossdorf, professor at the Institute of International Studies, University of Chile; Trinidad García, director of International Relations, Luksic Foundation; Carolina León, director of Centralized Service CGE; Camila Bravo, manager of CGE Center of Excellence; LIU Jian, professor at the School of Architecture of Tsinghua University; and DU Xia, researcher at Tsinghua SEM, served as judges for the final. The final was chaired by Maribel Florez, director of Global Training at UC.

At the opening ceremony, Ferrer emphasized the crucial role of young people in shaping the future. "We must recognize the fundamental role that young people play in building our future. They are not only tomorrow's leaders, they are today's agents of change. This challenge was not just about identifying problems, but empowering students to be an active part of the solution," she said. MA Zhen, chargé d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Chile, addressed the audience by discussing China's poverty alleviation practices and achievements. DAI Yan, CEO of State Grid Chile Electricity/CGE, noted the significant impact of youth in poverty alleviation efforts. He expressed a desire for more opportunities to participate in the program in the future.

CHEN Taotao delivered a welcome speech. She began by expressing gratitude to State Grid Chile Eletricity/CGE and Luksic Group for their significant support of the event. CHEN reviewed the preparations for the "2024 Poverty Alleviation Camp," highlighting how participants from China and Chile had enhanced in ice-breaking activities, poverty alleviation seminars, corporate research, and mentoring. These activities helped enhance their cross-cultural communication skills and refine their final proposals through exchanges and mutual learning. "The program was not for the competition, it was the stage for all the participants to show their heart and care for the world and people, to show their capability of contributing to the solution of poverty alleviation, one of the most noticed global challenges," CHEN said.

CHEN Taotao delivers a welcome speech.

Three teams from Tsinghua University, four teams from Chilean universities, and two international teams composed of students from both Tsinghua and Chilean universities competed on the same stage. The teams addressed a range of topics including economic policy, education, agriculture, sustainable ecology, industrial development, digital technology, elderly care, and inclusive finance. They combined their disciplines and specializations with cross-cultural perspectives to present innovative approaches and diverse solutions for poverty alleviation. When faced with questions from the judges, the contestants addressed issues related to the reasonableness, effectiveness, implementability and transferability of their projects. The students responded quickly and thoughtfully, defending their proposals with clarity and calm. Their performance demonstrated a deep understanding of poverty alleviation and a strong logical thinking skills.

Finalist teams present their proposals.

Q&A session

After three hours of intense competition, the Chilean team won the Gold Award with their project titled "EcoVidaQuintero App: Ecological poverty alleviation for sustainable growth in Quintero and Puchuncaví Sacrifice Zone." The project aims to tackle ecological poverty and address air and nutrient pollution in Quintero Bay, Chile, through the creation of EcoVidaQuintero, a platform for sustainable growth in the region. The project has two main components: urban vertical farming and a public air quality monitoring system. The initiative plans to incorporate information sources from the Chilean Ministry of Environment, the Meteorological Directorate, and research centers. It also includes elements such as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), strategic alliances and partnerships, and in-app advertising. Additionally, the project aims to leverage CSR programs from Quintero's Industrial Park to secure funding for equipment such as air purifiers and hydroponic vertical gardens. The project also plans to share revenues with local stakeholders and provide grants to support ongoing ecological poverty alleviation efforts.

Experts present the Gold Award to the Team

The Tsinghua team's project, "Empower Chile's Fisheries and Aquaculture with Finance Inclusion," received the Silver Award. The project utilized case analysis and transferability assessments from the Poverty Alleviation Toolkit to adapt tools from China for developing a financial ecosystem aimed at micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Chile, with a focus on sustainability and gender inclusivity. The proposed financial ecosystem includes borrower assessment, mortgage options, guarantee funds, and infrastructure platforms. The team suggested that the project's feasibility and success could be enhanced through collaboration with local financial institutions in Chile.

CHEN Taotao presents the Silver Award to the team.

The team from Chile, "ENTRE SENIORS: Program to Alleviate Loneliness in Older Adults," won both the Bronze Award and Audience's Choice Award. The project involves creating a community center designed to offer activities that promote the social integration of older adults. By fostering support networks among neighbors and building a sense of social identity within each neighborhood, the team aimed to enhance the social inclusion of older adults. The proposal detailed the operational aspects and implementation strategies of the community center to achieve these goals.

Experts present awards to the team that won both the Bronze Award and Audience's Choice Award.

The international team "EducaFuturo: Bridging the Education Gap in Chile," composed of students from Tsinghua University and UC, received an Honorary Mention Award. The team developed a non-profit educational ecosystem called EducaFuturo. This integrates live-stream courses, free tutoring, and AI assistance to address the education gap by empowering economically disadvantaged students in Chile.

Experts present the Honorary Mention Award to the team.

In addition, five teams received the Challenge Award: "Industrial Park for Prosperity" team from Tsinghua University, the international team "RISE AI-INSPIRE PROJECT", and three teams from Chile: "University Scholarships for the Development of Coffee Producing Communities" team, "Ensuring Equal Access to Services and Alleviate Poverty Support in Chilean High School Education: A Multidimensional Public Policy Addressing Neuro Divergent Youth in Combating Poverty" team and "Agrarianism Empowerment: Sustainable Harvest and Education" team.

Experts present Challenge Awards to the five teams.

The top two Chilean teams from the final, the Gold Award-winning "EcoVidaQuintero App: Ecological Poverty Alleviation for Sustainable Growth in Quintero and Puchuncaví Sacrifice Zone" and the Bronze Award-winning "ENTRE SENIORS: Program to Alleviate Loneliness in Older Adults," will receive full support for a short-term visit to China. This opportunity is made possible through the support of State Grid Chile Electricity/CGE, the Tsinghua University Latin America Center, and UC.

In her closing remarks at the final, CHEN Taotao first congratulated all participating teams and expressed her heartfelt thanks to the professors and experts for their professional assistance and dedication throughout the competition. She highlighted that the primary goal of the program was to cultivate global competence among young students and to bridge international gaps in poverty alleviation through cross-cultural exchange and mutual learning. CHEN hoped that the program would expand to more countries and engage additional institutions and individuals who share these value. Finally, CHEN extended special thanks to Lilian Ferrer, Francisco A. Gallego, Maribel Florez, and their team from UC for their outstanding contributions to the program. She also expressed her sincere gratitude to the judges, the teams of professors from Tsinghua University and UC, and all the behind-the-scenes staff for their hard work and commitment.

The final round of the inaugural "China-Latin America 2024 Youth Challenge to Alleviate Poverty (Chile)" concluded successfully, marked by cross-cultural exchanges and mutual appreciation among participants, guests, and judges. This international competition brought together young students from diverse countries, professional fields, and cultural backgrounds. It facilitated discussions with experts and scholars from academia and industry on tackling the global challenge of poverty alleviation. The event not only enhanced the understanding of poverty alleviation among teachers and students but also promoted the sharing and innovative integration of poverty alleviation experiences across countries.