Educational Tour to Laos (4-10 July 2025)

Back in April 2025, three Secondary 4 students participated in the “My Interfaces with the Belt and Road Initiative” Integrated Ability Competition. We were thrilled to have won third place, and were awarded the privilege of visiting Laos as Belt and Road Pioneers in early July, learning more about its history and position in the Belt and Road Initiative. 

Bursting with excitement, the three of us embarked on our journey to Thailand and Laos, hearts full of anticipation for the days of learning and new experiences yet to come. From the nerves we felt as we were invited to express our views to our growing confidence in asking questions, to our gradual but sure acquisition of knowledge revolving around many aspects regarding the Belt and Road Initiative; we have gained much insight through meeting and speaking to professionals across different fields such as business, infrastructure, education, art and so on, both on our end, and from the perspective of the people of Thailand and Laos. We are not only honoured to learn from them, but also be able to share with them our perspectives and initiate discussions, fostering a great sense of communication and inclusivity among different countries.

One of the most memorable scenic spots that we visited was the Lao Art Museum, which took our breaths away due to its magnificence and delicate art exhibits. Just in the architecture itself, the combination of Laos traditional architectural style and modern design elements makes every structure a piece of art. Walking into the museum, the realistic statues hand-carved from wood shocked us with their detail and beauty; the exquisite paintings took our breaths away with their witty colour utilisation and layered textures; the way the exhibits were directly related to one another enhanced the visitors’ viewing experience; they all contributed to the wonders of this museum, and left a long lasting impression on every one of us.

We also got to visit Vientiane High School, which is considered the best secondary school in Laos. After listening to a brief introduction on the education system in Laos, we got to interact with some of their students of a similar age as us. Through chatting with them, we found that they had a special emphasis on language learning, having the option of learning at most five languages at school, including those such as Spanish and French. The way the students cared for our experience in Laos, as well as their appreciation for our city and their desire to come visit one day, deeply touched us, as we could feel from the bottom of our hearts their warm welcome and hospitality. As echoes of laughter bounced off the walls of the hall, friendships were forged, and bonds were created. 

As we finally bid farewell to Laos, we say goodbye to the country and the people, but what remains in our hearts are the precious memories that we’ve made along the way, and all the knowledge that we would never have been able to gain otherwise. We would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to the executive committee and assistant leaders of the delegation for organising this competition and making sure everything went smoothly during the tour; as well as Mrs. J. Hau, for taking care of us and making the journey a more pleasant and enjoyable experience for us. Thanks must also be given to Mrs. Lau, for the steadfast support she provided us throughout our participation in this competition. We are immensely grateful for the priceless opportunity, and all the memories made will be deeply treasured in our hearts.