On December 14th, former Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic and specially-appointed professor at Beijing Normal University's Belt and Road School, Djoomart Kaipovich Otorbaev, accompanied by his wife and Professor Hu Biliang, the Executive Dean of the Belt and Road School, visited the School of Future Design. Professor Gao Peng, the Dean of the School of Future Design , and some faculty members accompanied them for a tour and discussion.

Djoomart Kaipovich Otorbaev visited the art gallery showcasing the achievements in design education and the laboratories of the School of Future Design. They acknowledged the remarkable achievements of the school since its establishment, recognizing that the institute, rooted in the intersection of art, technology, and education, engages in research and interdisciplinary collaboration in the fields of humanities, arts, design, technology, and social sciences. They considered the school as a crucial practitioner in the field of future design education.

Former Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic and Specially-Appointed Professor at Beijing Normal University's Belt and Road School, Djoomart Kaipovich Otorbaev, along with his wife, and Professor Hu Biliang, the Executive Dean of Beijing Normal University's Belt and Road School, visited the art gallery of the School of Future Design. They were accompanied by Professor Gao Peng, the Dean of the School of Future Design.

During the meeting, the former Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic, Djoomart Kaipovich Otorbaev, engaged an in-depth exploration and exchange with faculty and students of the School of Future Design regarding the PBL CHALLENGE PROJECTS "Design Going Global for 'Belt and Road' Countries," currently being conducted at the Future Smart Living Laboratory. Teacher Gong Shuai, the head of the Future Smart Living Laboratory, provided an overview of the cultural exchange activities undertaken by the school's faculty and students in Kyrgyzstan in October. Additionally, she presented a stage-wise design exposition and explained the creative concepts for National Gift design project of the Kyrgyz Republic.

Former Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic and Specially-Appointed Professor at Beijing Normal University's Belt and Road School, Djoomart Kaipovich Otorbaev, along with his wife, and Professor Hu Biliang, the Executive Dean of Beijing Normal University's Belt and Road School, held discussions with faculty and students of the School of Future Design.

Djoomart Kaipovich Otorbaev highly praised the efforts of the faculty and students from the School of Future Design in designing the national gift for the Kyrgyz Republic. He shared insights on cultural significance and purpose of national gift design and provided constructive suggestions for the current design concepts. He emphasized that Chinese design is entering a phase of rapid development and is a significant example for other developing countries. The "International Youth Student Designers' Exchange Program" initiated by Beijing Normal University's School of Future Design and the Youth Design Thinking Innovation Development Center aims to create opportunities for exchange between young student designers from both sides. By establishing a platform for communication and collaboration between international universities, the program facilitates exchanges among young student designers. Through innovative design collaboration, it promotes a deeper understanding between different cultures, fosters cultural exchange, and builds bridges for international cooperation. This initiative holds profound significance for the collaboration and exchange between the young generation of China and Kyrgyzstan.

Dean Gao Peng expressed that the School of Future Design of Beijing Normal University advocates the design philosophy of "cultural inheritance and innovation in practice." He hopes to promote mutual learning and exchange between different civilizations through cultural exchange and collaboration. The goal is to provide more opportunities for international young student designers to engage in cultural exchange.

Former Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic and Specially-Appointed Professor at Beijing Normal University's Belt and Road School, Djoomart Kaipovich Otorbaev, along with his wife, and Professor Hu Biliang, the Executive Dean of Beijing Normal University's Belt and Road School, took a group photo with faculty and students of the School of Future Design as a memento of the visit.

Background Introduction:

From September 29th to October 10th, 2023, over ten faculty and students from Beijing Normal University's School of Future Design embarked on a 12-day cultural exchange journey in the Kyrgyz Republic. This cultural exchange initiative was part of the "International Youth Student Designers' Exchange Program," jointly organized by the School of Future Design of Beijing Normal University and the Youth Design Thinking Innovation Development Center.

The cultural exchange activity in the Kyrgyz Republic received active responses and strong support from the Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic in China and the Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic. Local universities participating in the exchange included Kyrgyz National Technical University, Issyk-Kul National University, National University of Osh, National University of Naryn, and National University of Batken.

The planned outcome of this cultural exchange activity is the creation of 40 design works by students from China and the Kyrgyz Republic, which will be exhibited in both countries. Representatives from Kyrgyz universities will also visit China during the exhibition to deepen their understanding of Chinese culture and foster strong Sino-Kyrgyz friendship.

This cultural exchange event has been recorded in the documentary series 'The Belt and Road is Right Here' co-produced by Gidron TV and the National Broadcasting Corporation of Kyrgyzstan. The documentary vividly records the process and achievements of the joint construction of the Belt and Road between China and the Kyrgyz Republic over the past decade. The series comprises five episodes covering cooperation in infrastructure construction, economic and trade relations, transportation, agriculture, and cultural exchanges. The premiere of the documentary series was attended by the Chinese Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, Du Dewen, and the Minister of Transport and Communications of Kyrgyzstan, Tekebaev Tilek Kydyrmaevich."