An international student performs a marionette show. [Photo/WeChat ID: fujianxinwenban]

On April 20, the UN Chinese Language Day was celebrated with an event titled "The World of Chinese, Chinese in the World", jointly organized by the Foreign Affairs Office of the Fujian Provincial People's Government and Huaqiao University in Quanzhou. The event was structured around four main segments: a Chinese language class, a Chinese character, a Chinese show, and a Chinese story.

A Chinese Language Class: Bridging Cultures Through Chinese

Connecting Chinese with the world is crucial to deepening exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, enhancing international cooperation, and exploring the future of humanity. Young people should actively connect through the Chinese language to spread traditional Chinese culture far and wide.

A Chinese Character: Personal Journeys with Chinese Characters

Students from nine countries, including South Africa, Russia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, shared their personal connections with Chinese characters and their language learning experiences. For example, Sarah from South Africa shared her story relating to the Chinese character “福” (meaning "blessings"), expressing her fortune at being able to stay in Fujian and her desire to share her experiences with the world.

A Chinese Show: Showcasing Elegant Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH)

This event featured a performance titled "Elegant China in ICH" in which artists and foreign students presented traditional art forms such as tea ceremonies, guqin music, puppetry, and paper-cutting, vividly showcasing the allure of traditional Chinese intangible culture. Additionally, students from various countries collectively inscribed the Chinese character “福” (meaning "blessings") on a 12-meter-long scroll, symbolizing the spread of blessings globally.

A Love of China: Embracing Chinese Culture through Language

Lu Duoduo, a young Italian sinologist from Xiamen University, expressed her deep affection for the Chinese people and culture, hoping more people would learn about China and Chinese culture. She highlighted the role of the Chinese language and culture in energizing cross-cultural exchanges between different countries and nationalities.

Chinese is one of the six official languages of the United Nations. Since 2010, the UN has celebrated UN Chinese Language Day on the first day of "Gu Yu", one of the 24 solar terms in the Chinese lunar calendar, to emphasize multilingualism and cultural diversity and to promote the equal use of the six official languages of the United Nations.

Sarah from South Africa shares her story. [Photo/WeChat ID: fujianxinwenban]