The 2024 “A Letter from Your Hometown” kicks off at the Qingdao International Cruise Port located in Shibei district on Sept 13. [Photo by Cui Dongni]

The 2024 “A Letter from Your Hometown” kicked off at the Qingdao International Cruise Port located in Shibei district on Sept 13. The event featured segments such as overseas Qingdao people’s blessing videos, reenactments of “A Letter from Your Hometown”, and activities to comfort overseas Chinese.

During the event, a heartwarming video was played featuring 10 people from Qingdao who reside in Austria, the UK, France, Germany, Kenya, and South Korea. The event also invited Liu Yuanming, a drama artist, master’s supervisor, and former president of the Qingdao Cultural and Art Research Institute, to invite overseas Qingdao people to return home and create a better tomorrow for their hometown.

Five international students studying in Qingdao from countries such as Ghana, Laos, Sri Lanka, and Uzbekistan took the stage to share their unique understanding and feelings about Qingdao based on their experiences of studying and living there. Olympic champion Chen Meng also cheered for her hometown of Qingdao online, inviting everyone to come to experience the unique charm of this coastal city.

The Qingdao International Cruise Port is currently marching forward with the goal of becoming a modern international metropolis window demonstration zone. Its development has not only bolstered the cruise economy, but also driven the development of cultural tourism, modern finance, innovation and more. The harmonious coexistence of port, industry, and city has become a new highlight of the city’s development and a new engine for economic growth.