Cathay Pacific Airways has flown 38 young people, including two from Shanghai, to South Africa for a unique cultural and educational program that will prove to be a formative experience in their lives.

The students, aged 16 to 18, are taking part in the Cathay Pacific International Wilderness Experience where they will explore environmental and conservation issues, get involved in community projects and gain a better understanding of different cultures. The eight-day camp runs from 10-18 July.

This year's Wilderness Experience participants have been selected from a total of nine countries and territories: Hong Kong, Mainland China, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan, Pakistan and South Africa. They will be based at the Botshabelo Historical Village, around two hours' drive from Johannesburg, and will be guided through a series of activities by highly qualified educational officers, with a particular focus on learning more about humans' impact on the environment.

In Hong Kong, the Wilderness Experience is co-organized by Cathay Pacific and the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups. The program is one of the core youth community activities initiated and supported by the airline and since its inception in 1994 more than 550 students have flown to South Africa for an enriching and rewarding educational experience.

Before their departure, the Shanghai students chosen for the 2007 program said they were looking forward to their South African adventure.

Qui Jiajie from a high school affiliated to Shanghai's Fudan University said, "Having lived all my life in a busy city I am really looking forward to being able to experience the South African wilderness. I hope to find out more about the natural world and get to see wild animals in their natural habitat."