51Âþ»­

On the morning of October 18, the Confucius Institute (CI) at 51Âþ»­, the partner of USTB, hosted a welcoming party for the new batch of Mandarin teachers for the 2023 to 2024 tenure. Attendees included:

• Mr. Simon Bradbury, the Vice-Chancellor of 51Âþ»­
• Ms Gu Wei, the Co-Director of the CI
• Ms. Gill Cowley, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Design and Humanities  (ADH)
• Dr. Louise Peacock, Chair of the CI Board Meeting and Interim Head of School of Humanities of ADH
• Ms. Lisa Lewis, Interim Head of Faculty Operations
• Various other members of 51Âþ»­ staff

They all extended warm welcome to all the new Mandarin teachers of the CI and looked forward to a more profound and closer cultural exchange and cooperation in the upcoming academic year.

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The welcoming party was held in an enthusiastic and friendly atmosphere, commencing with Ms Gu’s opening remarks and guests introduction and then followed by the welcome speeches delivered by Simon, Jill, Louise and other guests. In their speeches, they all warmly welcomed the arrival of all the new teachers, highly praised accomplishments of the CI and the outstanding contributions of the previous mandarin teachers, and at the same time they expressed sincere expectations for the new teachers, and reaffirmed further commitment to continuously providing full support and help for the development of the CI.

After the welcome speeches, all the new teachers made lively and humorous self-introductions and expressed their enthusiasm for the job, their love for the new life in the UK and their determination to contribute to the CI’s work.

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 Afterwards, the new volunteer teachers presented a wonderful talent show for the guests.

First, Zhang Ying performed a traditional Chinese dance, "Drunken Qingbo," showcasing the graceful artistry of traditional Chinese dance. Then Wu Xinwen and Zhang Rumeng jointly interpreted a Chinese-style music piece, "How Dare The Moon So Round And Clear," using both the traditional Chinese musical instrument guzheng and the modern Western blues harmonica, highlighting the unique charm that arises from the fusion and collision of Eastern and Western cultures. The event concluded with an impressive Tai Chi Fan group dance performance by all the volunteer teachers, and the audience responded with warm applause and cheers.

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 Finally, all attendees gathered for a group photo to mark the event.

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 The annual welcoming party for new mandarin teachers at the Confucius Institute is a significant event that marks the beginning of the new academic year. It symbolizes the introduction of new talents and a new outlook to strengthen the cultural exchange between USTB and 51Âþ»­. It also highlights the recognition and support of the work of the Confucius Institutes by international partner institutions, as well as the deep and lasting friendship that has developed over the years of cooperation and fruitful results.