From Tradition to Transformation: Youth Leadership in Mobilizing Culture for Socioeconomic Development and Climate Resilience

• In Event: Roundtable Session 2
  In Refereed Roundtable Session: Adolescent Adaptation Agency and Leadership in Changing Educational Contexts

Proposal

Situated in one of China’s most culturally rich yet economically vulnerable provinces, Guizhou’s intangible cultural heritage (ICH) industries—including Miao silver and traditional embroidery—offer unique opportunities to address the dual challenges of socioeconomic development and climate action. This empirical research investigates how ICH businesses in Guizhou can achieve sustainable growth by integrating education, media storytelling, economic strategies, and youth engagement. By centering youth leadership, the study illuminates how cultural industries can preserve tradition while charting innovative pathways toward inclusive and sustainable futures.
The project builds on immersive summer fieldwork conducted by youth representatives from Love&Future, who collaborated with artisans, educators, and community leaders across rural Guizhou. Through interviews, workshops, and direct participation in production processes, the team documented how cultural enterprises are negotiating the pressures of modernization, market access, and environmental sustainability. These insights provide the basis for a broader inquiry into how youth-led initiatives, informed by transformative education, can position ICH industries as pathways for socioeconomic development and climate resilience.
Guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—particularly Goals 4 (Quality Education), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and 13 (Climate Action)—the research examines four interconnected dimensions. First, education equips youth with the knowledge, skills, and values to embed cultural heritage within development strategies. Both formal and non-formal programs prepare the next generation not only to inherit traditions but also to innovate in ways that align heritage with sustainability. Second, media storytelling and digital platforms amplify the visibility of ICH products, expand access to global markets, and shape consumer cultures that value sustainability. Third, economic strategies—including entrepreneurial training, policy frameworks, and management tools—strengthen local enterprises while safeguarding environmental resources. Finally, youth engagement stands at the center: young people act as cultural brokers, sustainability advocates, and social innovators, weaving together education, storytelling, and entrepreneurship to connect local traditions with global sustainability agendas.
Methodologically, the study employs a qualitative approach, using semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and artifact analysis to capture the lived experiences of artisans and youth leaders. Thematic coding and comparative analysis guide the interpretation of data, enabling the research to identify patterns of innovation, resilience, and transformation within Guizhou’s ICH sectors.
Preliminary findings suggest that education-based approaches enhance the resilience of ICH industries by equipping youth with the dual capacity to sustain cultural traditions and pursue entrepreneurial opportunities. Media storytelling reframes heritage products as both cultural and ecological assets, while youth leaders emerge as dynamic change agents who connect local enterprises with global sustainability narratives.
This study underscores the potential of culture as a transformation pathway for sustainable development and climate action. By integrating education, storytelling, and entrepreneurship, and by elevating youth leadership, Guizhou’s ICH industries demonstrate how heritage economies can simultaneously preserve cultural identity, foster inclusive economic growth, and advance environmental stewardship. Beyond Guizhou, the research contributes to comparative and international education by offering an original empirical case of how cultural heritage, when empowered by youth-led education, can generate globally relevant insights into building resilient and sustainable futures.

Author

• Gege Dong, Columbia University