From July 20 to 24, Venice hosts the Rong Chang Cup – Youth Innovation Competition on Global Governance (YICGG) 2026, serving as an international platform for dialogue on the primary challenges of global governance.
Co-organized by Ca’ Foscari University of Venice and Fudan University in Shanghai, the initiative brings together more than 50 young people from around the world to address the theme “World Cultural Heritage and Human Civilization,” with a particular focus on dialogue between civilizations, the role of artificial intelligence in heritage enhancement and tourism regeneration, multilateral cooperation, and the impacts of climate change on cultural assets.
At the opening ceremony held today at the Santa Margherita Auditorium at Ca’ Foscari, the Director General of Venice Sustainability Foundation, Alessandro Costa, delivered institutional greetings.
In his remarks, Costa highlighted the value of Venice as a World Heritage site and as an example of a city that, despite being exposed to the effects of climate change, has developed solutions for adaptation and resilience over time. This capability, rooted in its thousand-year history, is built on collective intelligence and continues to demand new ideas. Costa then invited participants to bring their own experiences and perspectives to Venice, contributing to the dialogue on global challenges and the future of the city.
