A poet reads a poem during the youth poetry festival at the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall in Beijing, China, July 23, 2024. /CFP

Amid the sweltering summer heat, dozens of young poets from BRICS countries gathered at the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall in the Chinese capital of Beijing on Tuesday, united by their shared love of poetry.

The first International Youth Poetry Festival's Special Session for BRICS Countries is taking place from July 19 to 24 in east China's Hangzhou City and Beijing. It brings together 49 poets from Brazil, Russia, India, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Iran and Ethiopia, alongside 23 Chinese poets. 

The poets visited the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall and read their original poems in their native languages.

Shi Zhanjun, party group member and secretary of the Secretariat of the China Writers Association (CWA), attended the festival and delivered a speech at the event. 

Noting the history and importance of the Great Wall, Shi said this is the first time young poets from around the world gathered there.

"These young poets have built a beautiful channel for civilization exchanges and mutual learning through poetry and their youth, and built a 'Great Wall of Poetry' that will always be remembered."

The festival aims to foster friendship through poetry and promote cultural exchange among young people from different backgrounds, according the CWA.