YANGZHOU, China – The 2026 Canal City Model United Nations (CCMUN) Yangzhou session officially opened on the morning of July 31 under the theme "Set Sail for Dreams, Connect the World." The four-day conference has drawn student delegates from China and abroad to the historic canal city in Jiangsu Province.

The event is supported by the Yangzhou Education Bureau, the Yangzhou Foreign Affairs Office, and the World Canal Historical and Cultural Cities Cooperation Organization (WCCO), with guidance from the UN-affiliated European United Nations (UNE) and special support from the Chinese Consulate General in New York. It is hosted by the Window of Philadelphia and organized by Dinuo International Education Group.

In his opening address, Zhu Boxing, Vice Chairman of the Yangzhou Municipal CPPCC, highlighted Yangzhou's millennia-old legacy as the origin city of the Grand Canal, urging young delegates to cultivate both patriotic commitment and global vision through reasoned dialogue and practical engagement.

Sophie Muller, UNHCR Representative in China, delivered video remarks encouraging greater youth participation in global affairs and dialogue for peace.

Zhu Xiaoyan, Vice Chair of the Latin America Chapter of the Western Returned Scholars Association and former Cultural and Education Counselor at Chinese embassies in Peru and Colombia, called on delegates to embrace open participation in global conversations and strengthen cross-cultural competencies. Yang Weimin, Deputy Secretary-General of WCCO, reaffirmed the organization's six-year commitment to the conference, encouraging deeper thinking on sustainable development and cultural heritage protection. Zeng Jun, Vice Principal of Yangzhou Meiling Middle School, drew parallels between the canal spirit of inclusion and the UN's principle of "unity in diversity."

Academic team chair Zhu Shengkai and six-time participant Li Siwei also shared their personal growth journeys with the conference.

The session was officially declared open by Zhang Wenlong, founder of the Window of Philadelphia.

Over the next four days, Chinese and international delegates will deliberate on pressing global issues, including inequality in global value chains and the protection of cultural heritage in armed conflicts, following UN procedural rules. Organizers said the event aims to foster consensus-building, cross-cultural exchange, and youth leadership in pursuit of a shared future for humanity.