Liberia: CIUL Commemorates Confucius Institute Day

(L-R) Zhou Hongzhuan, Co-Director of CIUL; Dexter S. Sumo, Director, CIUL; and Dr. Praise O. Seh, visiting guest on the occasion marking the Confucius Institute Day

 

Promises to offer more opportunities for young Liberians

The Confucius Institute (CI) at the University of Liberia (UL), has joined other member states around the world to celebrate “Confucius Institute Day” with the promise to offer more opportunities for students to study in China.

The Confucius Institute Day has been set aside to reflect on work, share successes and achievements, and celebrate in the global Confucius Institute network. Every last Saturday of September each year, Confucius Institutes around the world organize activities to commemorate the day. 

The Confucius Institute Day, which is affectionately called “CI Day”, has undoubtedly become a staple event in the local Chinese culture scene across the world nowadays.  

It may be recalled that in 2014, the Confucius Institute, alongside hundreds of the other Institutes around the world, commemorated the 10th anniversary of the Confucius Institute Global Network. 

Addressing a cross-section of CI students on Saturday, September 24 in Monrovia, Zhou Hongzhuan, the Co-Director of the Confucius Institute at the UL, said that the CI Day is a cultural fair where anyone is welcome to participate in different Chinese cultural activities, such as the reading of Chinese ancient poetry and feel the Charm of the Chinese culture, calligraphy writing with a Chinese brush and watching of the 2022 Mid-Autumn festival gala. 

The CI staff at the University of Liberia has worked tirelessly each year to ensure a top-quality event is held in commemorating the day and, over the years, the CI Day has attracted many Liberians, which many of whom have expressed their appreciation to the Government and People of China for the opportunity to be exposed to a unique culture such as that of China. .

The Confucius Institute at the University of Liberia (CIUL), as the first Institute in West Africa, was jointly established by the University of Liberia and Changsha University of Science & Technology in Monrovia since December 2008. “Today we are here to celebrate CI day. The Confucius Institute Day is a festival for all CI members across the world and the day is celebrated every year on September 27,” said 

C:\Users\Melody\Desktop\UL CI\IMG_7609.JPGZhou Hongzhuan, Co-Director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Liberia said We also want to offer more opportunity for students to study in China

Currently, there are more than 500 Confucius Institutes all over the world, and in Africa there are more than sixty 60. “I want to thank everyone for the selfless contribution and support to the institute over the years,” Madam Zhou said. 

According to her, CI wants to offer mutual opportunities for young Liberians. “Today we are happy that the institute has been able to recommend up to 200 students to China for scholarships. We also want to offer more opportunities for students to study in China,” she added. 

Over the past decade, the institute has offered different scholarships to Liberian students to study the Chinese language — and not only that — they have been able to provide other opportunities for Liberians.

Madam Zhou noted that the Confucius Institute Day celebration was part of efforts to maintain its friendship with both old and new friends. According to the CI authorities, this is intended to promote educational cooperation between Liberia and China, as well as people-to-people culture exchange. 

Sharing his experience with some students at the occasion, Samuel, one of the Chinese Instructors at the CIUL, encouraged students to take advantage of this friendship that has been brought closer to Liberians by the Confucius Institute. Learning the Chinese language it is good because it strengthens the China-Liberia relationship, it helps in getting Liberian students to understand the Chinese culture and tradition and how unique it is. 

The Chinese language is taught at the World Sanctified High School in Congo Town, as well as the Don Bosco in Sinkor among others. Dr. Praise O. Seh, Principal of the World Sanctified High School in Congo Town, expressed the commitment of her administration and staff to working with CI authorities to achieve its goal. “We remain honored and grateful for the opportunity for Liberians to be taught (Chinese language).” 

Since the founding of the Confucius Institute (CI) in 2004, it has enjoyed strong support from the partners from all walks of life around the world. CI has developed into a renowned international language educational institute and it is a leading brand of international Chinese language education. 

A cross-section of CI students who attended the CI-Day on Saturday, September 24, 2022 in Monrovia.

The first CI day was held on the 10th anniversary of the founding of the institute on September 27, 2014.  Since then, Confucius Institute Day has become the most important festival for CI members and partners around the world. 

However, the event CI Day-2022 activities were organized by the Confucius Institute at the University of Liberia, under the theme: Confucius Institute: “A Good Friend in Your Life.” 

This event brought together heads of teaching points of CIUL, students, instructors, with many CIUL alumni sharing experiences in Monrovia.