Looking forward to the Youth Forum

The Young Advocates Programme Youth Forum kicks off tomorrow in Beijing at the China National Paralympic Training Centre. Natasha and John are already in Beijing, having left yesterday. They plan to spend today checking out facilities and potential locations for making 10 word films, as well as meeting up with British Council colleagues, other British arts practitioners and some of the British and Chinese Young Advocates. Tristan and I will join the morning briefing session on Saturday fresh from our flight. In the evening, we’re all lucky enough to be attending the Opening Ceremony for the Paralympic Games in the stunning ‘Bird’s Nest’ stadium. Workshops will then run from Sunday for three days, with a day trip to the Great Wall in the middle. The Youth Forum culminates in a Grand Showcase performance on Thursday afternoon. We have a detailed plan worked out for the first day of our workshop but the rest of the content will be very much shaped by the group of young people we’ll be working with. We’re looking forward to meeting them.