Cultural Heritage and Global Governance: Over 100 Students from around the World at Ca’ Foscari for the ‘Youth Innovation’ Competition

More than 100 students from around the world took part in an immersive Venetian experience, competing in a challenge of ideas during the Youth Innovation Competition on Global Governance 2026, hosted this year by Ca’ Foscari University of Venice.

The international competition was launched in China by Fudan University in Shanghai and focuses on youth-led innovation in global governance and sustainable development. This year’s edition took place in Venice from 21 to 24 July and was hosted on Ca’ Foscari University campuses.

The initiative aims to provide a platform for university students to develop practical, ethical and innovative solutions to emerging global challenges. This year’s theme focused on world cultural heritage and the development of human civilisation.

Projects were assessed by an international panel of judges comprising academics from Ca’ Foscari, Fudan University and other universities worldwide. The jury awarded the prize to the team made up of Khor Hui Min Khor Hui Min (Peking University), Amália Margaretha Lucas (China Medical University), Elisabeth Florentine Welz (RUB), Juan Luis Avila Montoya (Universidad de Los Andes) and Ceca Vidović (University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Serbia), authors of the project Building the Future of Overlooked Cultural Heritage.

Rector Tiziana Lippiello said: “The strategic partnership between Fudan University and Ca’ Foscari is more than an academic collaboration: it is a bridge connecting two ancient civilisations, united by a shared commitment to innovation, academic excellence and intercultural dialogue. Together, our universities create opportunities for students, researchers and academics to learn from one another, undertake joint research and develop solutions to global challenges. Our cultural heritage is not merely a legacy of the past. It is a living resource that helps us understand who we are, appreciate the richness of different civilisations and build mutual trust among nations. Every monument, manuscript, work of art and scientific discovery reminds us that humanity’s greatest achievements have always emerged from exchange, cooperation and openness. The legacy of Marco Polo also reminds us that curiosity and the courage to cross borders can open new horizons of understanding among peoples. Protecting and promoting cultural heritage is therefore not only a cultural mission; it is also a contribution to peaceful coexistence and to peace itself. Peace cannot rest solely on political agreements or economic cooperation. It also requires mutual understanding, respect for diverse identities, and the ability to recognise the dignity and value of every culture. Cultural heritage provides the language through which peoples come to understand one another.”