The Confucius Institute at the University of Liberia on Saturday, April 20, 2024, under the theme “Chinese Language: Connecting Culture through the Bridge of Mutual Learning” concluded the celebration of International Chinese Language Day.
Professor Dexter Sumo, the Director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Liberia lauded the administration and instructors at the institute for imparting knowledge of Chinese culture and language to Liberian students. He asserted that the knowledge transferred has built a lasting diplomatic bridge between the two countries.
Professor Sumo also encouraged students to put in time to recognize characters of the Chinese language, adding that recognizing Chinese characters is cardinal to learning the Chinese language.
He admonished students of the Confucius Institute to exert more energy in their studies and Liberia proud in the upcoming 2024 Chinese Language competition in China.
Meanwhile, the Confucius Institute which has motivational words “Learn Chinese, Enjoy Future” displayed a scene where many Liberians at the Confucius Institute won awards in the Chinese Characters Writing Competition. They also demonstrated their knowledge of the Chinese culture.
The International Chinese Language Day
out of the resolution passed by the
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) first created Chinese Language Day in 2010 to celebrate Chinese as one of the six official languages of the United Nations. It comes as an important brand of international Chinese language education.
The date of the International Chinese Language coincides with the “Grain
Rain” (Gu Yu, around April 20th), the 6th of the twenty-four solar terms to pay tribute to (Cang Jie), who invented Chinese characters
about 5,000 years ago.
Chinese Legend says that when (Cangjje) finished creating Chinese
characters, the gods rained grain
upon the earth.
It can be recalled, that the Confucius Institute at the University of Liberia (UL) was formally launched on December 18, 2008, to promote cultural exchange between Liberians and Chinese.
According to H.E. Mr. Zhou Yuxiao, then Chinese Ambassador to Liberia recalled the motive leading to the establishment of the institute. According to him, many Liberian people, especially university students expressed their eagerness to learn Chinese here in Liberia.
Since its establishment, Liberian students have continued to flourish in the Chinese Language and Culture as the two nations continued a stronger bilateral relationship.
