At the Luxembourg Pavilion, Dong experienced something that, to him, perfectly captured the spirit of the Expo. One interactive installation invited visitors to synchronize their heartbeats into a single rhythm using handheld devices. As the collective pulse echoed through the darkened theater, Dong felt a profound sense of unity.
"It didn't matter who you were — your race, nationality, or economic background. In that moment, everyone in that space felt something deeply human," he said.
"I believe the merging heartbeats were a metaphor for a future world where people are connected not by their differences but by a common purpose and shared destiny."
Looking back on his journey, Dong said that finally realizing his childhood dream of attending a World Expo made everything worthwhile.
"This volunteer experience opened my eyes to new possibilities," he said. "As a Japanese major, I feel more motivated than ever to keep building my skills and use them to tell compelling stories about China to the world."