At the prestigious 2026 China Internet Media Forum in Zhengzhou, Henan province, Italian content creator Martina Sicuso emerges as a compelling voice in cross-cultural storytelling. The thematic forum “Telling Story Well: From Empathetic Communication to Cultural Identity” on March 28th will feature Sicuso among distinguished global creators sharing transformative experiences with Chinese culture.
Sicuso’s journey with China began unexpectedly during her final year of high school in Italy. At just 17, seeking academic improvement, she enrolled in an afternoon Chinese language course that would ultimately redirect her life’s path. The revelation came through Chinese characters—their pictographic nature captivated her imagination. “The character ‘山’ (mountain) visually resembles actual mountain peaks. I thought Chinese was amazing,” Sicuso recalls of her initial encounter.
This linguistic fascination evolved into scholarly pursuit. Over the subsequent six years, Sicuso dedicated herself to mastering oriental languages, earning both bachelor’s and master’s degrees while developing her popular social media presence as “Yang Friend.” Her digital platform now serves as a cultural bridge, translating her academic insights into accessible content that demystifies Chinese language and culture for international audiences.
The Zhengzhou forum represents a significant moment in China’s soft power diplomacy, highlighting how foreign voices can foster genuine cultural appreciation. Sicuso’s story exemplifies how empathetic communication—beginning with something as fundamental as character recognition—can grow into profound cultural identity and mutual understanding between civilizations.