To mark its fifteenth anniversary, the Confucius Institute of Saint Joseph University of Beirut (USJ) held a Chinese culture event, in the presence of the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China, Qian Minjian, the Rector of the USJ, Prof. Salim Daccache s.j., the Director of the Institute, Dr. Nisrine Abdelnour Lattouf, the former Director of the Institute, Professor Antoine Hokayem, officials, teachers and students of the Institute and a crowd of Sinophiles.

Dr. Nisrine Abdelnour Lattouf recalled in her speech that this long-awaited meeting was finally arranged after a two-year break due to the pandemic, though distance learning did not stop. “Today marks the start of a new chapter. We have a number of projects in the works with various USJ branches and in collaboration with Shenyang University in China, the first of which is a university diploma in Chinese translation with the Faculty of Languages and Translation. We will be resuming The Chinese Corner activities soon, and the content of these events will be varied.”

After a Chinese tea brewing and tasting session, Patricia Soury, Ali and Fatima Yahfoufi, shared their love for the Chinese language and culture in Mandarin speeches.

Ambassador Qian Minjian, for his part, stated that the Confucius Institute is the first of its kind in the Arab world. “Over the past fifteen years, this Institute has achieved fruitful results in teaching the Chinese language, disseminating its culture, and encouraging exchanges between China and Lebanon, thanks to the joint efforts of Shenyang University and Saint Joseph University, as well as the care of Lebanese and Chinese professors.”

“The Institute has contributed positively to the promotion of bilateral human exchanges and the strengthening of mutual understanding between the two peoples. We encourage the expansion of this collaboration so that more Lebanese friends, particularly young people, can deepen popular exchanges and traditional friendship between the two countries,” the ambassador concluded.

The event was joyfully punctuated by a Mandarin hymn sung by a choir of young Institute students, and Prof. Salim Daccache stated that “with the renewal of the Institute’s activity in education, training, and translation, the cooperation between Saint Joseph University and Shenyang University is strengthened, which is necessary to continue to provide great achievements.”

Participants in activities inspired by Chinese culture, such as paper cut art and Chinese calligraphy, were also available to the audience.

Click here for photos

Read also : Réunion chinoise à l’Institut Confucius