LUSAKA, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Zambia on Friday celebrated this year's United Nations Chinese Language Day, which falls on April 20, with a display of various Chinese cultural activities.
Held at the Confucius Institute at the University of Zambia, the event was attended by officials from the Chinese embassy, officials from the University of Zambia, and Chinese language learners from various schools.
Organized by the Chinese embassy in collaboration with the Confucius Institute, the event featured activities such as the Mongolian "Flying Grassland" dance, Tai Chi, poetry recitation, music and dance performances, and a display of Chinese kung fu.
This year's event was themed "Chinese Language: Connecting Culture through the Bridge of Mutual Learning."
Meng Hao, minister counselor of the Chinese Embassy, said the Chinese language is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, and most people are keen to learn it.
He said in Zambia, Chinese language learning has made remarkable progress through the efforts of the Confucius Institute, and it is becoming an important part of people-to-people exchanges and educational cooperation between China and Zambia.
"Culture and civilization are enriched by exchanges and mutual learning. This is also a major driving force for the progress of human civilization and peaceful development," he said.
He noted that China and Zambia have set a good example of cultural exchanges and mutual learning in the past 60 years of diplomatic relations, adding that the relationship has been characterized by mutual respect, equality, and common development.
Boniface Namangala, acting vice-chancellor of the University of Zambia, said the theme for this year's celebration is suitable as the world becomes one people through the relationship of the global village.
He said language not only carries the culture of the people who speak it but also acts as a resource for social and economic development.
He said the Chinese language learning in Zambia has attained greater heights, adding that the first Chinese language examinations were written last year at one of the secondary schools in the western part of the country.
"This is a very big development, and it makes this year's celebration even bigger in the context of the Confucius Institute at the University of Zambia," he said.
He further said the learning of the Chinese language has been incorporated into the country's education system from junior secondary to senior secondary level, while the University of Zambia and Mulungushi University are also offering Chinese language learning at the bachelor's degree level.
"We are moving toward a time when language of communication will no longer be a barrier in China-Zambia friendship and people-to-people friendship," he added.
Kate Phiri, a Zambian student at the University of Zambia majoring in the Chinese language, told Xinhua that she started learning the language in February this year and wanted to become a teacher of the Chinese language.
She said she was inspired to learn the language because when she was young, she would watch Chinese movies where she could not understand what was being said.
Renny Nambela, a student majoring in economics and taking Chinese as a minor, said she decided to enroll in learning the Chinese language because of the vast opportunities to work with Chinese entrepreneurs and nationals.
She said she plans to take Chinese as a full course as she plans to go and continue her studies in China.
