Tsering Palzom is among the group of 19 torchbearers at the torch lighting ceremony of the Hangzhou Asian Games at Liangzhu Archaeological Ruins on June 15. CHINA DAILY

"The event was a good platform for people to see the ethnic diversity of China," Tsering said.

Developing an interest in broadcasting from a very young age, Tsering, whose mother tongue is Tibetan, took every opportunity she could to practice her Mandarin and her delivery. She participated in various activities, from being one of the broadcasters of her primary school's radio station to giving speeches at public speaking competitions right up to the provincial level.

After she was enrolled in CUZ last year, she is now on an even bigger stage where she can take part in grander events, including being a guide at Compilation of Classics in the Flourishing Age — one of the major exhibitions of the Zhejiang Exhibition Hall in April, and of course, serving as a member of the torchbearer squad for the upcoming Asian Games.

But to Tsering, the role of a broadcaster or host is not just presenting prepared content — he or she has to really know the information that is being delivered.

"Before the April exhibition, all the guides had to spend a month studying every painting, with each day dedicated to a different one," said Tsering. "It was a great opportunity for me to learn about ancient Chinese art in depth."

Before the torch-lighting ceremony in June, the squad also spent over two months training for the ritual and also gaining knowledge about the history of the Liangzhu Archaeological Ruins, which was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2019.

"When we were little, we were all taught that China has 5,000 years of history, but to actually see proof of it left me in awe," said Tsering. "You would assume that early civilization was primitive, but Liangzhu was already a well-established city not only with houses and cemeteries but also with its own water conservancy project and even belief system."

Now Tsering is about to start her sophomore year, and she is looking to do more for the Asian Games. One of them is to be the voice of a phone application that introduces the sports involved in the Asian Games.

Being a broadcasting and hosting major, Tsering is using what she's learned at school about hosting to help Hangzhou be a hospitable host to the world.

[email protected]