On September 29, 2026, the 2nd Gen Z International Podcast Festival and "Global Podcast Co-Creation Season" event were held at the Software Park in Siming District, Xiamen, China. The event was hosted by the Academy of International and Regional Communication Studies, Communication University of China, organized by Vocal Supreme (Xiamen) Cultural & Technology Co., Ltd., and co-organized by Fujian Yanziyu Media Co., Ltd., Dora Sound Workshop (Xiamen) Culture Communication Co., Ltd., and Hat New Space (Xiamen) Culture Technology Co., Ltd. It received support from the Future Audiovisual · Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, with Bilibili as the strategic cooperation platform. Podcast creators and youth representatives from China, Indonesia, Thailand, and other countries and regions, as well as representatives from industry institutions, universities, and content platforms, attended the event.
According to the organizers, since it was launched in October last year, in Bangkok, Thailand, this year’s podcast festival has run for nearly a year. With the theme of international communication of Chinese culture and mutual learning among civilizations, it called for submissions from young podcast creators worldwide. It received a total of more than 920 entries from 14 countries and regions, with registered creator participation exceeding 1,800 person-times. The event guided young creators from China and abroad to draw themes from the contemporary value of China’s fine traditional culture and the vivid practice of Chinese modernization, using specific individuals, real scenes, and everyday experiences as entry points, and to explore audio narratives that promote understanding and resonance in multicultural contexts. Since November 2025, the Podcast Festival has organized two rounds of field trips for creators, inviting leading international podcasters and Chinese podcast creators to visit Quzhou, Zhejiang, and Xiapu, Fujian. There, they engaged in hands-on experiences and content creation centered on the culture of Southern Confucius, urban history, mountain and sea landscapes, She ethnic culture, and the preservation of intangible cultural heritage. The initiative served as a platform for young people from diverse cultural backgrounds to share experiences, exchange perspectives, and collaborate on content creation, thereby fostering mutual understanding and connections among Gen Z through equal dialogue and joint creation, and expanding their practical pathways for participation in international communication and mutual learning between civilizations.
In her opening remarks, Lu Jiayi, Executive Deputy Director of the State Public Opinion Laboratory and Vice Dean of the Academy of International and Regional Communication Studies at Communication University of China, stated that while communication technology can change the way information is delivered, it cannot replace understanding itself; true understanding between people remains rooted in authentic experiences, sincere expression, and open listening. She emphasized that Gen Z youth are not only documenting and interpreting this era but are also creating conditions for mutual understanding among different societies through authentic narratives of their daily lives.
Du Yuanzhi, Co-founder and CEO of Vocal Supreme (Xiamen) Cultural & Technology Co., Ltd., noted that this year’s Podcast Festival, centered on the theme "Voice of Gen Z: Sharing Civilization Now," highlights the significant value of podcasts in connecting youth, disseminating culture, and understanding the world. He expressed hope that sound would connect the world and that youth would define the future.
This year's Podcast Festival balanced the professionalism of competition standards with the diverse layers of the youth creative ecosystem. Based on the creative foundation, operational duration, and maturity of the participating programs, it established three award categories—"Established Podcasts," "Newcomer Podcasts," and "Rising Stars"—and selected a total of 62 outstanding winning entries, thereby promoting cultural exchange between countries and regions and building a bridge to convey diverse voices.
At the event, award-winning representatives from China and abroad enthusiastically shared insights into their creative journeys and their understanding of the communicative value of podcasts. Fajar Aditya from Indonesia, winner of the "Podcast of the Year" award, emphasizes that podcasting goes beyond mere storytelling; it serves as a record of a society's culture, beliefs, local wisdom, and folk traditions. He hopes to use audio to preserve stories and knowledge not yet documented in history and to foster greater cross-cultural creative exchange. Representatives of the winners across all categories expressed that the Gen Z International Podcast Festival has provided young creators with a space to express themselves through podcasting. They hope to continue exploring the wider world through this medium and to use their voices to document the thoughts and perspectives of Generation Z.
The event features a special "City-Friendly Communicator" award, encouraging Gen Z to explore the international expression of urban culture through a unique, youthful perspective. The award-winning representative, Rizky Ardi Nugroho from Indonesia, said that podcasts are a natural bridge connecting youth from different countries and local cultures, and he looks forward to further promoting podcast cooperation and cross-cultural exchanges between China and Indonesia in the future.
The event also featured a "Global Podcast Collaboration" segment, inviting renowned podcasters from various countries to discuss "Qiaopi" (overseas Chinese remittance letters) and record English-language podcast episodes. Starting with the family memories embodied in these letters and remittances, the conversation expanded to cover modern communication methods—such as voice messages, cross-border transfers, and video calls—exploring how people connect their distant locations with their homelands amidst changing times and cross-cultural perspectives. This collaborative podcast initiative has breathed new life into traditional memories through the exchange of voices across diverse cultures, highlighting the unique value of podcasting as an international medium that connects the world and conveys shared human emotions.
