North Campus, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, February 8th2019: The Spring Festival has become a widely-celebrated festival around the world. In order to better understand the ideology, humanism ethics, and lasting appeal Chinese traditional culture, five Confucius Institutes across four continents held wonderful Spring Festival Gala Evenings to celebrate it, creating peaceful and composed atmosphere across the world.
Cape Verda:
On February 1st 2019 (local time), Confucius Institute at Cape Verda University and Chinese funded institutions in Cape Verda joined forces to hold the Spring Festival Gala Evening at the national parliament hall in Playa City. Distinguished guests like CONG Xiaodu, Chinese Ambassador of Cape Verda; relevant officials of the Cape Verda Government; as well as the President of the China and Cape Verda Friendship Association of Students and Teachers joined the event. More than 600 people gathered together to enjoy wonderful performances performed by students and teachers. From interesting dances to the eye-catching Cheongsam Fashion Show; from funny language programs to beautiful songs, each performance received thunderous applause from the audience.
The Spring Festival Gala Evening at the Confucius Institute at Cape Verda
The Cheongsam Fashion Show
An interesting dance
Peru:
On the evening of January 1st 2019 (local time), the 2019 Spring Festival Gala Evening themed Join Hands to Create a Better Future was held at the school hall of the Catholic University of Santa Maria in Arequipa, Peru. More than 400 people, including School administrators, officials from different academic institutes, and students and teachers had a joyous gathering to celebrate Chinese New Year.
Alberto Briceno, President of Catholic University of Santa Maria, delivered a speech
PENG Qigui, Chinese President of the Confucius Institute, introduced the latest and most fruitful achievements of China its Confucius Institutes. He expressed sincere gratefulness and utmost blessings to those who made contributions to the development of the Confucius Institute. Angélica, President of the Confucius Institute, hoped that students and teachers at the Confucius Institute could show their learning results to the audience. Alberto Briceno, President of Catholic University of Santa Maria, expressed warm congratulations towards China’s rapid development over the last 40 years. He specially thanked Chinese teachers for their hard work and wished them a happy Chinese New Year. Later, he presented the certificate of honor to three volunteer Chinese teachers and certificate of study to primary students.
Afterwards came brilliant shows given by the performers. Rounds of applause filled the hall with enthusiasm as the audience enjoyed a cultural feast.
Dance with fans
Traditional dance performed by teachers
Japan:
On February 1st (local time), The Association of Overseas Chinese in Hokkaido held the Spring Festival Gala at Hotel Sunroute New Sapporo. SUN Zhenyong, Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Sapporo; TANG Pu, Consulate of the People’s Republic of China in Sapporo; YU Ang, secretary of the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Sapporo; Aoki Masanori, President of the Japan-China Friendship Association in Hokkaido; Amano Kiko, Counselor of international economic office in Hokkaido; Eiura Zhenhiro, Director of the Japan-China Friendship Association in Sapporo; KASE Shinji, Derector of the Confucius Institute at Sapporo Gakuin University; and some businessmen and leading officials were invited to attend the Gala Evening.
Group photo of Federation of overseas Chinese in Hokkaido
WANG Zhiping, President of Japan-China Friendship Association, spoke at the Gala Evening. After welcoming the guests warmly, he gave a work report to present the important activities the Association had taken part in. SUN spoke highly of the contributions the Association had done to promote friendly exchanges between Hokkaido and China. Then, Aoki Masanori reviewed Premier LI Keqiang’s visit to Hokkaido and his working visit with his delegation in China. He sincerely hoped that the Japan-China Friendship Association can work together to achieve new progress.
During the Gala, the guests enjoyed delicious cuisines and communicated freely. They watched many performances that were rich in Chinese and Japanese characteristics. At the end of the Gala, HU Junyi gave a closing speech to thank the guests for their presence. He also noted that he would make every endeavor to work towards a better future.
Russia:
On January 31st 2019 (local time), Confucius Institute at Ural Federal University held a Chinese culture experiencing activity to celebrate Chinese New year.
The activity offered many opportunities for local people to experience Chinese customs, to understand more about Chinese culture. Activities like bookmark production, paper folding, paper cutting and calligraphy experiencing were popular among the locals. WU Ming, a local teacher who studied at GDUFS, introduced Chinese in an interesting way. People were immersed in a festival atmosphere happily.
Volunteers from the Confucius Institute taught people how to do paper cutting
On February 1st, students and teachers accepted the invitation of the Chinese Consulate General in Yekaterinburg and performed a traditional dance in the Greenwich Shopping Mall to celebrate Spring Festival.
The dance A Nation of Propriety
The song Chinese
Also, on January 30th, students and teachers accepted the invitation of the Chinese Consulate General in Yekaterinburg and attended a celebration in the library.
Egypt:
On February 5th 2019, Egypt’s Confucius Institute held the first Spring Festival Gala Evening under the support of the President of Ain Shams University. Abdelwahab ezzat, President of Ain Shams University; Abdelfatah Saod, Vice President of Ain Shams University; Esraa Abdelsayeed, Egyptian Dean of Confucius Institute; and YANG Shaogang, Chinese Dean of the Confucius Institute, joined the event.
The group photo
The wonderful performances not only presented the beauty of Chinese culture, but also showed the highlight of Egyptian culture. Abdelwahab ezzat said that the Gala Evening indicated that two countries valued a mutual relationship with each other and attached importance to cultural communication. Also, Esraa Abdelsayeed noted that the main focus for this activity was to provide an opportunity for Chinese teachers and Egyptian teachers to celebrate the Spring Festival together — the festival meant most for Chinese.
A marvelous short sketch
