The ceremony of the 15th anniversary of the Confucius Institute at the University of Zimbabwe was held on March 10th local time. The celebration kicked off with performances of the national anthem of both China and Zimbabwe by the Student Art Troupe and the Confucius Institute Choir.
Huang Minghai, Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe, Paul Mapfumo, Executive President of the University of Zimbabwe, Chipo Dyanda, Vice Chancellor of the University of Zimbabwe, and Fainos Mangena, Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities, attended the event. Du Peng, Vice president of Renmin University of China (RUC), delivered a video message of congratulations.
In the speech, Mapfumo reviewed the history of Chinese language teaching, cultural and academic exchanges in Zimbabwe in the past 15 years, expressed his sincere thanks to the Chinese language teaching staff of the Confucius Institute, and fully recognized the efforts the Confucius Institute made in helping the local people experience Chinese culture, enhance the understanding of China, and further deepen the traditional friendship between the two countries.
He also sent congratulations to all Chinese teaching centers on signing official contracts with Confucius Institutes and expressed his gratitude to all the partners who have been supporting and sponsoring the work of Confucius Institutes.
On behalf of the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe, Huang extended congratulations on the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the Confucius Institute and expressed his heartfelt thanks to the University of Zimbabwe for its strong support in Chinese language education and cultural exchanges, as well as the hard work of the teaching staff.
He encouraged Zimbabweans who love Chinese to study hard and achieve their dreams. He said that by learning Chinese young Zimbabwean students will not only master a language tool, but also expand the space and opportunities to realize their career dreams. He expressed hopes that Zimbabwean students would work hard to learn the language and know more about Chinese culture, so as to make positive contributions to Zimbabwe’s national construction and deepen the friendship between the two peoples. He also wished the Confucius Institute at the University of Zimbabwe a greater success and more fruitful results with the support of all sectors of the two countries.
Du Peng, Vice president of RUC, expressed his congratulations on the 15th anniversary of the Confucius Institute at the University of Zimbabwe through video. He affirmed the achievements of the Confucius Institute in promoting academic exchanges and cooperation among Renmin University of China, the University of Zimbabwe and Africa, as well as people-to-people exchanges between China and Zimbabwe.
He said the Confucius Institute helps the Zimbabwean people to know and understand China through learning Chinese, which has continuously deepened the friendship between the two peoples and gradually become an important bridge and bond of exchanges and cooperation between China and Zimbabwe, China and Africa.
He hoped that in the future, with the Confucius Institute as a platform, all sectors in China and Zimbabwe will inherit and develop the traditional friendship between China and Africa forward, and provide suggestions for the common development, jointly creating a better future for China-Africa cooperation.
At the ceremony, Huang and Mapfumo presented awards to winners and outstanding instructors of the “Chinese Bridge” competition and the “My Story with China” writing competition in 2022. They also witnessed the signing ceremony between the University of Zimbabwe and 19 principals of Chinese language teaching centers in Harare, Gweru, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls City. Zhu Wei, leader of the 19th Chinese medical team to Zimbabwe, was awarded the title of “Outstanding Volunteer of Confucius Institute”.
Wonderful performances of solo singing, chorus, dancing and pipe and drum playing created a relaxed and joyful atmosphere for the whole event. More than 1,300 people attended the ceremony, including Zhao Ke, Chairman of the China-Zimbabwe Exchange Center, representatives of the Chamber of Commerce in Zimbabwe, representatives of the 20th Chinese medical team sent to Zimbabwe, Chinese journalists and overseas Chinese people in Zimbabwe etc.