Gen Zers explore green GBA at flower show

Video by Wang Haolan

On the morning of March 28, Bijiashan Sports Park in Shenzhen welcomed a special group of visitors. As the first youth communication event of APEC “China Year” 2026 in Shenzhen, 15 Gen Z international students from all over the world formed the “Gen Z APEC Reporters” team. 

They stepped into the 2026 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Garden Show & Garden Competition, walked through creative gardens, recorded green beauty through their lenses, and told vivid stories of Shenzhen and APEC from a youthful global perspective.

The event was hosted by Shenzhen Daily, under the organization of the International Communication Center of Shenzhen Press Group. It aimed to guide Gen Z international students to explore the city’s ecological highlights, showcase Shenzhen’s charm as a “City of a Thousand Parks” and its urban vitality to the world through their cameras and voices, and practice green development concepts in the APEC “China Year.”

Gen Zers pose for a group photo at the 2026 Greater Bay Area Flower Show at Bijiashan Sports Park on March 28. Photos by Wang Haolan

Capturing ecological beauty with camera

After touring the garden exhibition and visiting award-winning garden works such as Rainbow Garden-The Messenger’s Path, Oceans Edge and Singularity Garden, the Gen Z APEC reporters shared their genuine feelings.

Video by Zuo Shiyu

When asked about their favorite flowers, the young reporters responded with enthusiasm. Boni Josepha Karell, a French student at Shenzhen University, spoke fondly of tulips. 

Berezhnaya Agniya and Kotliarova Margarita, both Russian students from Shenzhen MSU-BIT University, expressed their admiration for this year’s theme flower — the iris. Margarita also praised the garden design of Dapeng New Area for its vibrant floral displays and striking color combinations. 

To capture their experiences, Agniya documented the visit in a short blog post highlighting park zones representing the “11 districts of Shenzhen” alongside international exhibits, while Margarita created vertical short videos to share online.

Boni Josepha Karell, a French student at Shenzhen University.

Berezhnaya Agniya (L) and Kotliarova Margarita, Russian students from Shenzhen MSU-BIT University.

Tech with a healing touch 

Muhammetali Hojagulyyev, a Turkmenistan student from Shenzhen University, was deeply impressed by the Nanshan garden, describing it as “shining and brightening.” He was moved by both its emotional appeal, expressing that he “likes this place very much” and its technological sophistication, noting that the space felt “definitely made from technology things like some kind of artists.”

Munzali Ibrahim from Nigeria shared a similar sentiment, praising a floral-themed work by a South African designer. He highlighted the calming power of the natural environment, noting how immersion in nature brings peace and relaxation, and shared his plan to invite friends to experience the space together.

As messengers of APEC “China Year,” the Gen Z reporters said that gardens are a common language across countries. They will continue to record Shenzhen’s green stories with videos and posts, and show the world a youthful, eco-friendly and open Shenzhen.

“Gardens are small, but they carry big ideas of green development. We are honored to be Gen Z APEC reporters to tell Shenzhen’s stories and promote communication between the Bay Area and the world,” they said.

This event is the first stop of the Gen Z APEC Reporters series. The team will continue to visit key scenes of Shenzhen’s APEC-themed activities, record the city’s development and convey youthful vitality to the world.