The opening ceremony of the 2015 Chinese Culture Experience Summer Camp and related book donation event sponsored by three CUPL overseas Confucius Institutes (CIs) were successfully held at Xueyuanlu Campus on the morning of July 9, 2015. Notable attendees such as CUPL Council Chairman Prof. Shi Yajun, Mr. Hu Zhiping, the Deputy Director-General of Hanban, and Deputy Chief Executive of Confucius Institute Headquarters, as well as three Chinese Co-Directors of CUPL overseas Confucius Institutes, and nearly 40 student representatives from CI at Bangor University (BU) and CI at the University of Bucharest (UB), gathered for this event. CUPL Vice-President Prof. Ma Huaide hosted the ceremony.
CUPL Council Chairman Prof. Shi Yajun made the opening speech
A short film screening section highlighting the achievements of the three Confucius Institutes served as prelude of the activity. After that, CUPL Council Chairman Prof. Shi Yajun delivered the opening speech. Prof. Shi first congratulated those involved in the successful opening of the Chinese Culture Experience Summer Camp, and then briefly reviewed the history of CUPL in its role of constructing its overseas Confucius Institutes under the strong support of Hanban (Confucius Institute Headquarters). He especially talked about his personal experience of visiting two Confucius Institutes in Europe this past June. Prof. Shi said that it is more a mission than a duty for CUPL to continually improve its overseas Confucius Institutes. He also mentioned that the locals’ enthusiasm and desire to learn Chinese is not only a source of vitality for the CIs’ future development, but it is also a solid base for those Institutes’ smooth running and management. He pointed out that it would be unthinkable for us to get the job done without the strong and constant support from the two governments, Hanban (Confucius Institute Headquarters), the two partner universities, as well as their hardworking co-directors, diligent teaching staff and volunteers. In order to assist the sustainable development of these Confucius Institutes, CUPL will not only study and issue a series of guiding policies and measures, but it will also make sure to follow their gradual implementation in the future. Those policies and measures include: two publishing houses which will donate related books to three Confucius Institutes; CUPL labor union which will soon launch a campaign to ask all of our staff to donate articles with Chinese features; and undergraduate volunteers officially dispatched to those Confucius Institutes who will enjoy certain priorities when CUPL considers the applications for working at their alma mater after graduation, as well as the candidates for graduate studies exempted from sitting for the entrance examination. Another important policy will be to forge the linkage of our compulsory requirement of one-year overseas experience for young teaching staff for promotion from associate professor to full professorship and dispatching Chinese language teachers to those Confucius Institutes. The thorough execution of all those policies and measures will soundly ensure an endless supply of high-quality teaching staff and talented volunteers for these Confucius Institutes. Prof. Shi stressed that CUPL will continue to concentrate all its efforts on the smooth running of these Confucius Institutes with a strong sense of responsibility. Giving books to Confucius Institutes sets a good precedent for university presses to better contribute to the development of those entities. On behalf of CUPL, Prof. Shi expressed his gratitude to Mr. Yin Shudong, director of CUPL Press, and to Ms. Zhang Jian, Board Chairman of Beijing Language and Culture University Press, for their outside generosity toward those Institutes. At last, Prof.Shi expressed his wishes for all the student attendees to spend a happy, healthy and safe time at Beijing and Xi’an, and make this trip to China an unforgettable part of their life-long memory.
A keynote speech from Mr. Hu Zhiping, Deputy Director-General of Hanban
Mr. Hu Zhiping, the Deputy Director-General of Hanban and Deputy Chief Executive of Confucius Institute Headquarters, delivered the second speech. He first extended his warm welcome to the student participants in the Summer Camp. Mr. Hu indicated that, although it’s a fresh new experience for CUPL to run these Confucius Institutes, CUPL has organized a variety of activities successfully and has achieved great results with the strong support of its officials and the efforts of the co-directors of those Institutes. He congratulated our university on that accomplishment. In addition, he also expressed his thankfulness for CUPL leaders, related governmental branches, those Chinese co-directors, as well as the two publishers that have donated the books. Mr. Hu noted that there are at present 491 Confucius Institutes and 898 Confucius Classrooms around the world, and their local partners are scattered in 132 countries and regions worldwide. Joining the Confucius Institute network is to become a part of this global community. By utilizing this global education communication platform, members of that network can participate in a diversified and colorful cultural activity, which will be a lifelong benefit. Mr. Hu sincerely wished that all the student attendees could cherish this good opportunity, observe, study and experience China’s long history, its charming culture and its remarkable development,and that they would pass on what they see and hear in China to their friends and family members. He also hoped this activity could arouse the students’ interest in learning Chinese and become the envoys of friendship between China and foreign countries.
Ms. Zhang Jian, BLCU Press Chairman & Chief Editor, addressed the ceremony
Ms. Zhang Jian, Board Chairman & Chief Editor of Beijing Language and Culture University Press, delivered her speech on behalf of those two publishers. She said that it is her honor to have the chance to contribute to the development of those Confucius Institutes, and she thanked CUPL for its grand book donating ceremony. Ms.Zhang then briefed the meeting attendees on the features of Beijing Language and Culture University Press and a series of its education and teaching resources on Chinese language that it has jointly developed with Hanban. She also expressed her hope to boost collaboration with CUPLPress, to promote their common development, and to provide more and better service for the growth of Confucius Institutes.
Student representative from CI at UB, Da Hai, expressed his thankfulness
Da Hai, a student representative from CI at UB also delivered a speech in Chinese, to express heartfelt gratitude to all the organizers of this event.
Books were handed over to our overseas Confucius Institutes
After that, the book donation ceremony began. Prof. Shi, Mr. Hu, Ms. Zhang and Mr. Yin handed bundles of books over to the three Chinese co-directors of Confucius Institutes respectively.The three co-directors responded by presenting souvenirs with Confucius Institute’s local cultural characteristics to the four leaders. Prof. Shi also took the chance to present souvenirs with CUPL logos to Mr. Hu and Ms. Zhang.
All ceremony attendees took a group photo
After the ceremony, all the leaders, distinguished guests, teachers and students posed for a group photo to mark this special occasion.
