More than 130 Chinese youth are in Brussels this week to participate in the EU-China Year of Youth and EU Youth Week.

The 130 Chinese are joined by 250 young people from EU member countries for a week of activities that aim to encourage dialogue and exchange between young representatives from both sides.

"It's an honor for us to have our Chinese friends participate in this second flagship event of the 2011 EU-China Year of Youth," said Jan Truszczynski, director-general of Education and Culture of the European Commission, at the Youth Open Day reception banquet on Tuesday.

Jan Truszczynski, director general of Education and Culture of the European Commission, gives a welcome speech on May 17, 2011, at Youth Open Day in Brussels. [Wang Zhiyong/China.org.cn]

"As a Chinese saying goes 'I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand,'" Truszczynski said, "it is in this world that intercultural dialogue and understanding have become so essential."

Youth Open Day actually began on May 6 and will last a month. It is being held in all Chinese embassies and consulates general in EU countries, as well as those of EU countries in China.

"I hope the exchange program can build more friendship bridges between the younger generations of the EU and China through better understanding of each other," said Dong Xia, deputy secretary general of the All-China Youth Federation, at the reception banquet.

Dong Xia, deputy secretary general of the All-China Youth Federation, at Youth Open Day on May 17, 2011, in Brussels. [Wang Zhiyong/China.org.cn]

In February, a group of 90 young European representatives visited China as part of the EU-China youth exchange program.

Later today, as part of EU Youth Week, up to 200 participants will attend an EU-China Forum on Youth Entrepreneurship, while 50 Chinese delegates will attend a conference on multilingualism.

At the entrepreneurship forum, participants will be able to discuss topics such as entrepreneurship education, how to promote development of entrepreneurial skills and social entrepreneurship, as well as share experiences, practices and challenges.