September 27, 2014 was the Confucius Institute’s (CI) worldwide 10th anniversary. In order to celebrate its 10th birthday and help Romanians become better acquainted with and partial to China, the teachers and students of CI at the University of Bucharest (UB) carefully prepared a diverse array of celebratory activities.The result was a series of splendid cultural activities, such as a Chinese language class, a tea-art show, a Chinese gourmet festival, an academic lecture, and more. The events took place from September 22 to 27, which was designated BU’s first “Chinese Culture Week”.
The grand celebrations of the 10thanniversary of CI were held at the botanical gardens in Bucharest on September 27. The teachers and students of CI at UB, as well as some local residents, participated in the celebrations and enjoyed the beautiful day with other CIs around the world.
Prior to the celebrations, CI teachers guided the local residents in a traditional Chinese game -- shuttlecock. The activity appealed to adults and children alike. The celebrations formally began with a passionate and brisk square dance at 2 p.m. The dance immediately brightened the atmosphere and audience members quickly joined in with the volunteers. Following the dance, Prof. Bai Luomi(Luminita Balan), a member of UB’s Administration Committee and Foreign Co-Director of the CI at UB, and Mr BianZhengdong, an official in the education department of China ’s Embassy to Romania , delivered speeches. Next, the adult and child volunteers and students together presented the audience with a fantastic cultural feast.
(Chinese square dance: a warm-up show)
The program continued with cultural activities so that the audience could get a taste of Chinese culture. One activity, the Mask Painting Area, was full of curious children. They used the brushes to smear and paint colorful masks. Another activity, the Paper Cutting Area, was adjacent to the Mask Painting Area. The lifelike paper cutting attracted both adults and children, who under the teachers’ guidance created some excellent designs. The Calligraphy Area, Tai Ji Area, Guzheng Area and Chinese Cultural Works Exhibition Area were also filled with audience members.They were interested in these activities and eager to participate. In addition, volunteers at the Chinese Language Area ingeniously created a “Chinese language tree” at the entrance. The tree was decorated with many simple and practical daily-use Chinese notes, which drew in a huge audience, some of whom even learned some Chinese from the present teachers. Although there wasn’t much time to study, the audience learned quickly and happily. Many audience members hoped that they could continue to learn Chinese from teachers at CI at BU.
(Chinese calligraphy)
(Kids painting Chinese masks)
(Kids chanting Chinese nursery rhymes)
(Romanian Kid trying Chinese Papercut)
(Tai Chi)
(Tree decorated with Chinese characters)
“Chinese Culture Week” brought in nearly one thousand participants, received substantial attention from the local area and elicited apositive social response. The activity, under the leadership and overall arrangements of CI’s Chinese Co-Director and the Foreign Co-Director, was agreat success. Not only did the event encourage more Romanians to learn Chinese at CI at UB and to experience the beauty of Chinese culture. It also helped to develop and disseminate Chinese culture throughout the world.
(Our visiting guest, a Romanian girl)
