The three cities of Qingdao, Shandong (China), Niigata, Niigata (Japan), and Cheongju, North Chungcheong (Korea) conducted various exchange programs throughout 2015 as the CCEA.
With the closing ceremony in 2015, the three cities adopted a joint declaration and agreed to continue promoting friendship and exchange. The three cities then have been actively conducting short-term youth exchange programs during summer and cultural exchange projects between performance groups during festivals. Even after the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the youth exchange projects are continuing online while the cultural exchange projects are continuing through the exchange of videos.
- December 2015: 2015 Culture City of East Asia Joint Declaration Adopted, Agreeing to Continue Exchanges
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Qingdao, Niigata, and Cheongju adopted a joint declaration agreeing to continue exchanges and cooperation as CCEA at the 2015 Culture City of East Asia Closing Ceremony Qingdao, along with a signing ceremony. The key points of the joint declaration are as follows:
1. The three cities mutually cooperate, to promote exchanges in the private sector and to promote continued friendship and exchange in the areas of art and culture.
2. The three cities run various programs for cultural development in East Asia whilst respecting each other’s opinions and cooperating with each other.
3. The three cities cooperate to establish new networks including CCEA, and resolve common issues through the power of culture.
- Since 2016: Summer Youth Exchange Program
- Qingdao, Niigata, and Cheongju have continued to carry out youth exchange programs by mutually dispatching youths even after the year they were selected as CCEA (2015). Every year, the three cities decide in advance issues such as the number of participants, when to host the event, and the age requirement. They host three to five day-long exchange programs in each city during their summer holidays.
- 2016
| Host | Dates | Participants |
|---|---|---|
| Niigata | July 26-28 | 15 youths each from the three cities |
| Cheongju | July 30-August 2 | 15 youths each from the three cities |
| Qingdao | August 10-13 | 15 youths each from the three cities |
- 2017
| Host | Dates | Participants |
|---|---|---|
| Niigata | July 25-28 | 15 youths each from Niigata and Cheongju |
| Cheongju | July 30-August 1 | 15 youths each from Niigata and Cheongju |
- 2018
| Host | Dates | Participants |
|---|---|---|
| Niigata | July 28-31 | 15 youths each from Niigata and Cheongju |
| Cheongju | August 1-4 | 15 youths each from Niigata and Cheongju |
- 2019
| Host | Dates | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Niigata | July 27-30 | - Participation of youth from Qingdao and Niigata. - Experiencing culture of Niigata through agriculture, cartoons, and animations. |
| Cheongju | August 1-5 | - Participation of youth from the three cities. - Exchange programs such as experiencing traditional Korean music instruments and visits to cultural institutions. |
| Qingdao | August 11-15 | - Participation of youth from Qingdao and Cheongju (Niigata was unable to participate due to typhoons). - Exchange programs such as experiencing traditional crafts and visits to cultural institutions. |
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Participants of the Exchange Program Hosted by Cheongju in 2019
(Source: Cheongju City)
- 2020
| Host | Dates | Participants | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Niigata, Cheongju | October 17 | 5 youths from Niigata and Cheongju | Presentations on each city's culture, tourist attractions, and food. Open discussion on school life, personal opinions, exchange of refreshments and souvenirs. |
| Qingdao, Cheongju | October 24 | 5 youths from Qingdao and Cheongju | Presentations on each city's culture, tourist attractions, and food. Open discussion on school life, personal opinions, exchange of refreshments and souvenirs. |
| Qingdao, Niigata | October 24 | 5 youths from Qingdao, Niigata, and Cheongju | Presentations on each city's culture, tourist attractions, and food. Open discussion on school life, personal opinions, exchange of refreshments and souvenirs. |
Participants of the Online Exchange Program Hosted by Cheongju in 2020
(Source: Cheongju City)
Participants of the Online Exchange Program Hosted by Cheongju in 2020
(Source: Niigata City)
Participants of the Online Exchange Program Hosted by Cheongju in 2020
(Source: Qingdao City)
- 2021
| Host | Dates | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Niigata, Cheongju | July 27(1st session), August 11(2nd session) | - Youth Online Cultural Exchange Ontact Culture Connect. - Participation of 10 from Cheongju, 20 from Niigata (10 each session). - Participants’ self-introductions, presentations and questions about each city and food, discussions and presentations on various topics such as games, dramas, snacks, education, school life, and the Olympics |
| Qingdao, Cheongju | July 31 | - Youth Online Cultural Exchange Ontact Culture Connect. - Participation of 10 youths from Qingdao and Cheongju. - Participants’ self-introductions, city introduction, drama, celebrity, buzzword, school life, foreign language study, food, etc. |
| Niigata, Cheongju | July 31 | - Participation of six youths from Niigata and Qingdao - Participants’ self-introductions, each city’s culture, tourist attractions, food, discussions, etc. |
| Cheongju | October 12 - 31 | - Hosted the ‘Urban Photography Expedition Exhibition’ for youth online cultural exchange - Offline exhibition of 54 city introduction photos submitted by teenagers from three cities who participated in ‘Ontact Culture Connect’ |
2021 Youth Online Cultural Exchange Urban Photography Expedition Exhibition
(Source: Cheongju City)
Chinese Students Participating and Performing in Ontact Culture Connect Hosted by Cheongju in 2021
(Source: Qingdao City)
- 2022[tentative]
| Host | Dates | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Niigata | January | - Exhibit Youth Online Culture Exchange Program related photos as panel exhibitions in numerous exhibition centers in Niigata. |
| Qingdao, Niigata, Cheongju | TBD | - Youth Online Cultural Exchange |
- Since 2016: Annual Cultural Exchange through Mutual Dispatch of Performance Groups
- The three cities mutually dispatch performance groups to each other’s main festivals, globalizing the events and contributing to the promotion of mutual understanding among the citizens of the three cities through culture and art exchanges. Cheongju actively conducts other cultural exchange programs with past CCEA including Quanzhou of China and Jeju and Gwangju of Korea.
- 2016
| Host | Dates | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Niigata | August 4-8 | Niigata invited traditional art troupes from Qingdao and Cheongju to the Niigata Festival. |
| Cheongju | November 9-12 | Cheongju invited a traditional percussion performance group from Niigata to the 2016 Chopsticks Festival. |
- 2017
| Host | Dates | Participants |
|---|---|---|
| Niigata | August 4-7 | Niigata invited traditional art troupes from Cheongju and Jeju (2016 CCEA) to Niigata Festival. |
| Cheongju | November 9-12 | Cheongju invited a traditional percussion performance group from Niigata to the 2017 Chopsticks Festival, held from November 10-19. |
- 2018
| Host | Dates | Participants |
|---|---|---|
| Niigata | August 10-13 | Niigata invited a traditional art troupe from Cheongju and a K-pop dance group from Jeju to the Niigata Festival. |
| Cheongju | September 7-10 | Cheongju invited a traditional percussion performance group from Niigata to the 2018 Chopsticks Festival held from September 9-16. |
- 2019
| Host | Dates | Contents |
|---|---|---|
| Niigata City | August 10-11 | Niigata invited a traditional art troupe from Qingdao to the Niigata Festival. |
| Cheongju | September 20-22 | Cheongju invited traditional art troupes from Qingdao, Niigata, Gwangju and Quanzhou (2014 CCEA), and Jeju (2016 CCEA) to the 2019 Chopsticks Festival. |
| Qingdao | October 25-28 | Qingdao invited performance groups from Niigata and Cheongju to the closing ceremony of CCEA 2019 (Qingdao) and Joyful Qingdao Festival on the 26th, and hosted the CCEA working-level meeting on the 27th. |
The Traditional Art Troupe from Niigata Performing at the 2019 Chopsticks Festival Held in Cheongju
(Source: Cheongju City)
2019 CCEA Working-level Meeting Hosted by Qingdao
(Source: Qingdao City)
- 2020
| Host | Dates | Contents |
|---|---|---|
| Niigata | June 16 – September 14 | East Asian Cultural City Exchange Project Panel Exhibition (multiple venues), and filming art performances of each city’s unique culture and screened at events in each city |
| Cheongju | October 6 – 16 | Cultural exchange of performances in East Asian Cultural City (Qingdao 2 pieces, Niigata 1 piece, Cheongju 3 pieces). |
| Niigata | June 16 – September 14 | East Asian Cultural City Exchange Project Panel Exhibition (multiple venues), and filming art performances of each city’s unique culture and screened at events in each city |
| Cheongju | October 6 – 16 | Cultural exchange of performances in East Asian Cultural City (Qingdao 2 pieces, Niigata 1 piece, Cheongju 3 pieces). |
The "Niigata Jinku Dance" performance filmed in Niigata in 2020 and screened in each city
(Source: Niigata City)
- 2021
| Host | Dates | Contents |
|---|---|---|
| Cheongju | August 25 – December 31 | 2021 Cheongju Story Video (web drama, Cheongju Stay with Chinese and Japanese international students) was shared with Qingdao and Niigata. |
| Cheongju | November 13 – December 31 | Local art and cultural exchange (a total of 12 performance videos including Burning, Taepyeongmu (Dance of Peace), and The Ring of Dokkaebi King were posted on Weibo in Qingdao and official YouTube account of Niigata). |
Cheongju Local Art Performance Video of the Musical Performance The Ring of Dokkaebi King: Namsuk Bridge
(Source: Cheongju City)
- 2022 [tentative]
| Host | Dates | Contents |
|---|---|---|
| Cheongju | TBD | 2022 Local Art Cultural Exchange and 2022 Urban Culture and Art Introduction Video Cultural Exchange. |
