The 2022 China (Qufu) International Confucius Cultural Festival and the Eighth Nishan Forum on World Civilizations were held from September 26 to 28, 2022. 23 Chinese and foreign teachers and students from our university participated in the Confucius Culture Week for Chinese and Foreign Young Students in 2022 and the Nishan Forum on Global Youth.
This is the venue of the opening ceremony.
As part of the Eighth Nishan Forum on World Civilizations, the Nishan Forum on Global Youth was held in the Nishan Lecture Hall in Qufu on September 26. Zhang Junkuo, former Deputy Director of the Development Research Center of the State Council, sent a video message to the event. Duan Qingying, Vice Chairman of the Shandong Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and Liu Tiandong, Secretary of the Shandong Committee of the Communist Youth League of China, delivered speeches in person at the forum. Two representatives of Chinese and foreign teachers and four representatives of international students from BMU attended the following dialog salon, where they listened to the inspiring opinions given by Chinese and foreign experts, scholars, and youth representatives online and offline. After that, they went to the Mencius Temple and the Mencius Family Mansion and the Nishan Academy to learn about the Confucian culture and history and watched a large immersive light and shadow show titled Confucius and World Thinkers. They felt the visual and spiritual shocks when traditional cultural elements were combined with modern light and shadow effects.
Chinese and foreign teachers and students from BMU participate in the Nishan Forum on Global Youth.
Chinese and foreign teachers and students from BMU visit the Mencius Temple and the Mencius Family Mansion.
The 17th Award Ceremony of UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy and the Launching Ceremony of Confucius Culture Week for Chinese and Foreign Young Students were held in the Nishan Lecture Hall in Qufu on September 27. Zhou Naixiang, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee and Governor of Shandong Province, delivered a speech in person at the ceremony. Tian Xuejun, Vice Minister of Education and Director of the National Commission of the People's Republic of China for NESCO, and Stefania Giannini, Assistant Director-general for Education of UNESCO, sent video messages to the event. In the following days, 64 Chinese and foreign young students from 18 countries and regions, including Russia, South Korea, Spain, and Pakistan, gathered together to learn about the traditional Chinese culture in an immersive manner and feel the charm of traditional culture through colorful lectures on Confucianism, visits, and cultural experiences. Wang Yan, a teacher of BMU, and Bilal Ahmad, a Pakistani student of BMU, gave speeches commenting on the activities as representatives of guiding teachers and foreign students respectively at the closing ceremony of the Confucius Culture Week for Young Chinese and Foreign Students in 2022.
This is the venue of the 17th Award Ceremony of UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy and the Launching Ceremony of Confucius Culture Week for Chinese and Foreign Young Students.
Chinese and foreign students from BMU play the concentric drum game.
Chinese and foreign students from BMU visit the Temple of Confucius and the Kong Family Mansion.
Chinese and foreign students from BMU learn to prepare flower cakes, a traditional food favored by juveniles.
Dong Jinghao, an undergraduate student in anesthesiology of grade 2020, said, The activities have helped us better understand the profound heritage and charm of the traditional Chinese culture. We were able to appreciate different cultures by studying together. We communicated with each other openly, learned from each other, deepened our friendship, and expanded out international networks of friends. All these have laid a solid foundation for carrying forward the traditional Chinese culture, promoting Confucianism, and building a better future together.
Ahiafor Maxwell, an international student in clinical medicine of grade 2018, said, I was very lucky to share my country's cultural traditions and customs as a representative at the 'Global Village Cultural Fair'. It enabled more people to know facts about Ghana. We exchanged ideas in a multicultural setting and improved our understanding through communication and mutual learning. As a student in clinical medicine, I will study hard and improve my skills in China by following the values of Benevolence and Courtesy in Confucianism and strive to be a good doctor, a medium between the Chinese and Ghana cultures, and a promoter of common development.
The China (Qufu) International Confucius Cultural Festival was initiated in September 1989 to commemorate Confucius and carry forward the meritorious elements of the Chinese culture. Activities have been held for commemorating great people, sharing cultural elements, developing tourism, promoting opening up, driving economic development, and enhancing friendship. It combines cultural, educational, tourism, academic, economic and trade, and scientific and technological activities, featuring distinct cultural characteristics and diverse activities. The festival is one of the nationally recognized international Chinese Tourism Festivals. Named after Nishan, the birthplace of the great philosopher and educator Confucius in ancient China, the Nishan Forum on World Civilizations has become an international academic, international, and open platform for ideological and cultural dialogs highlighting an academic nature, global influence, and openness. On the theme of dialogs among different civilizations around the world, the forum is intended to carry forward the meritorious elements of the Chinese culture, promote cultural exchanges between China and other countries, and facilitate the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. It has played an important role in promoting exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations around the world, facilitating the development of a harmonious world, and promoting the influence of the Chinese culture in the global community.
SOURCE: International Cooperation and Exchanges Office
BY: Wang Yan
