Heart Alliance

Heart Alliance (xin lian meng ) is a non-profit youth organization founded in 2014 by students from leading high schools in Beijing, China. The founding members comprise student leaders from Beijing No. 4 High School (BHSF), Experimental High School Attached to Beijing Normal University (SDSZ), High School Affiliated to Beijing Normal University, and Second High School Attached to Beijing Normal University. Affiliated with Project Heart (wo de xin ji hua ), Heart Alliance is dedicated to promoting dialogues between teenagers in the metropolis and on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (or simply the Tibetan Plateau). The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, hailed as "the Roof of the World", is located on the northwestern part of China. The region reveals a high level of cultural, ethnic and religious diversity, comprising Han, Meng (Mongolian), Hui (Muslim), Zang (Tibetan) and some other ethnic groups. Due to the manifold complexity of the region, many areas on the Plateau remain underdeveloped and face challenges from the scarcity of, but not limited to, economic and educational opportunities. Every summer, Heart Alliance hosts exchange programs bringing high school volunteers to stay at local families on the Plateau. Throughout the 7 to 10-day camp, volunteers develop a deep friendship with the local families and many have remained a life-long and invaluable relationship since then. During winter time, Heart Alliance also invites students from the Plateau to visit the capital city, Beijing, by attending campus tours and talks at leading institutions in China, such as Beijing No. 4 High School, Tsinghua University, Peking University, and Beijing Normal University. Heart Alliance aims to provide a mutual learning experience for young people from both the urban and rural areas, encourage empathetic understandings from both sides and reinforce a sense of social responsibility for Chinese teenagers in the ever-changing 21st century.