On the afternoon of Jan. 17, the eighth session of an event series featuring foreign talent concluded at Shenzhen University in Nanshan District. A total of 13 foreign experts participated in a Spring Festival panel.
1月17日下午，阳光洒落在深圳大学校友广场，第八场外籍人才系列活动在此圆满收官。13位来自不同国家和领域的外籍专家齐聚一堂，共同参与这场新春慰问活动。
A participant learns about writing Chinese calligraphy under the guidance of an instructor during the Jan. 17 event. Photos from Shenzhen Daily
During the panel, these foreign professionals shared insights, perspectives, and their experiences living and working in Shenzhen, offering suggestions for urban development, support services, scientific research activities, and industrial growth. They also engaged in traditional Chinese New Year activities, such as writing Chinese calligraphy.
活动现场气氛热烈，外籍专家们畅所欲言，围绕城市建设、生活配套设施完善、科研活动开展、产业发展方向等关键议题，分享各自的见解与经验，积极为深圳城市发展建言献策。不仅如此，他们还沉浸式体验了写春联、插花筒、剪窗花等中国传统春节习俗，感受中国春节传统文化的魅力和热闹喜庆的春节氛围。
The foreign talent event series was jointly hosted by the Shenzhen Municipal Science, Technology, and Innovation Bureau and the Shenzhen Municipal Foreign Experts Affairs Bureau and organized by EyeShenzhen.
外籍人才系列活动是由深圳市科技创新局（市外国专家局）主办，深圳报业全球传播中心承办。
Participants pose for a photo at a zongzi-making event held before last year's Dragon Boat Festival.
Throughout 2024, the series’ eight events have attracted nearly 200 overseas professionals from diverse fields. They were given the opportunity to explore different parts of Shenzhen, enabling them to understand the city from various perspectives. Events were held in Futian District, Nanshan District, Pingshan District, Dapeng New Area, the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone, and the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone.
2024年，该系列活动共举办8场，覆盖福田区、南山区、坪山区、大鹏新区、前海合作区、河套深港科技创新合作区深圳园区等多个区域，累计邀请近200位外籍人士参与。
Participants listen as a guide from DeepRoute.ai introduces the company's self-driving vehicle.
In addition to gathering high-caliber insights for the city’s future development and celebrating Chinese New Year, the series allowed expats to delve into various fields like sports, technology, ecology, and culture.
活动主题涵盖体育、科技、绿色生态和文化等多个领域，全面提升外籍人才在深工作生活的归属感和幸福感，让深圳成为外籍人才的第二故乡。
Parcipants pose for a group photo at BYD's headquarters in Pingshan District.
Regarding technology, participants were introduced to Shenzhen’s burgeoning new energy vehicle (NEV) industry and intelligent driving technologies. Some visited the headquarters of BYD, a leading Chinese NEV manufacturer. They also explored the Hetao cooperation zone, where they learned about preferential services for sci-tech companies and experienced high-tech innovative products, including a self-driving car from DeepRoute.ai, a startup based in the zone.
在科技领域，参与者深入坪山区，实地探访湾区智能网联试验场、比亚迪总部以及深圳技术大学，亲身感受深圳智能网联汽车和新能源汽车产业蓬勃发展的强劲脉搏。他们还走进河套深港科技创新合作区深圳园区，详细了解园区为境外人士提供的便捷服务，亲身体验各类科技创新产品，包括由入驻园区的创业企业元戎启行打造的搭载其自动驾驶解决方案的自动驾驶汽车，领略前沿科技的无限魅力。
Ercan Engin Kuruoğlu, a distinguished expert in information engineering and full-time professor at Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, praised the Hetao tour, stating, “It was very informative for me. Although I am engaged in high-tech research, I didn’t know there were so many different companies and institutes here. I believe there should be more communication with the universities and institutions in this area.”
来自信息工程领域的专家Ercan Engin Kuruoğlu感慨道：“这趟行程让我收获满满。尽管我一直投身于高科技领域的研究，但却未曾料到这个园区汇聚了如此多的科技公司和科研机构。我十分期待能与入驻此地的高校和科研机构展开更多交流，我们正在培养的一批学生，未来很可能成为工程师乃至高科技领域的专家，这样的交流对他们的成长意义重大。”
Participants listen as a guide introduces plant species in Baguang Heritiera Wetland Park.
The event series also highlighted Shenzhen’s natural environment by taking participants to Baguang Heritiera Wetland Park, which is known for its unique cluster of looking glass mangroves, and the Futian Mangrove National Nature Reserve, the only national nature reserve in downtown Shenzhen.
系列活动还将目光聚焦于深圳的绿色生态。活动组织方带领外籍人才走进坝光银叶树湿地园，这里拥有世界上迄今为止发现的保存最为完整、树龄最大的天然古银叶树群落，平均树龄约百岁。通过系列活动，外籍人士们也参观了全国唯一地处城市腹地的福田红树林国家级自然保护区。
Matteo Convertino, an associate professor at the Institute of Environment & Ecology at Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, noted that each trip to the city’s green areas provides him with fresh insights.
清华大学深圳国际研究生院环境与生态研究院副教授Matteo Convertino表示：“每次置身于这些自然环境中，都能让我收获全新的感悟。”
Convertino emphasized the importance of protecting all living creatures in the mangrove ecosystem, as each species plays a crucial role in maintaining the ecosystem’s overall health. “In a megacity like Shenzhen, with a population of 22 million, the rich biodiversity is surprising, and that is what makes Shenzhen unique,” he said.
“红树林生态系统中的每一个物种，都在维护森林整体健康方面发挥着不可或缺的作用。在深圳这样一座拥有2200万人口的特大城市，丰富的生物多样性令人惊叹，这正是深圳独一无二的魅力所在。”Convertino说。
Participants pose for a photo after an ultimate Frisbee event.
The events also featured sports activities, such as an ultimate Frisbee competition, enabling the expats to explore the city’s sports venues and learn about making reservations.
文体运动同样为系列活动增添了活力。在桂湾公园，外籍人士们参与飞盘比赛，尽情挥洒汗水。主办方也借此机会，向外籍人士细致介绍深圳体育场馆的查询与预约方式。
Participants pose for a photo on a sailing boat.
Additionally, a sailing event offered expats the chance to navigate Shenzhen’s surrounding waters in July. Held just days after the opening of the Shenzhong (Shenzhen-Zhongshan) Link — a mega cross-sea infrastructure project connecting the eastern and western shores of the Pearl River Delta — this event also provided expats with a close-up view of this engineering marvel.
7月，恰逢深中通道通车试运营，在前海深圳机场码头附近海域，系列活动开展了一场帆船体验活动。外籍人士在船长的专业带领下扬帆起航，近距离领略深中通道的雄伟风姿，深刻认识中国在基础设施建设领域的雄厚实力。
This edition of the event series aimed to help expats learn more about Shenzhen’s livable, work-friendly environment. It also sought to help them integrate into the local community, promote cultural exchanges, and foster international cooperation.
深圳市科技创新局（市外国专家局）希望通过这一系列活动，助力外籍人士深入了解深圳这座链接全球创新资源的开放之城、宜居宜业宜人游的绿色之城。
