Students studying in Egyptian colleges on Saturday celebrated the 15th UN Chinese Language Day with a themed event featuring a concert, food and tea tasting, sketch comedy, and art show.
The event was held at the Egyptian Chinese University (ECU) in Cairo, with the participation of students and faculty members of universities from the two countries, Arab League representatives, Egyptian officials, and Chinese diplomats.
The event marks the first joint celebration of Chinese Language Day by the League of Arab States and China.
Farraj Alajmi, director of the Education and Scientific Research Department of the League of Arab States, and Lu Chunsheng, minister-counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Egypt, attended the event together and delivered speeches.
"I hereby convey the congratulations from the League of Arab States Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit and Haifa Abu Ghazala, Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the Social Affairs Sector [of the League of Arab States], on the occasion of UN Chinese Language Day. The UN Chinese Language Day is a precious opportunity to understand the importance of the Chinese language. Chinese has a long history and exerts significant influence worldwide. In the fields of economy, trade, education, science, culture, and tourism, Chinese serves as a key that can unlock new doors to the world. Currently, there is a global trend of learning Chinese, understanding Chinese culture, and gaining insights from Chinese experiences," said Farraj Alajmi.
At the event, a traditional orchestra from Nanjing University of east China's Jiangsu Province played melodic music such as "Jasmine" and "Birds Greeting the Phoenix," receiving a thundering ovation from the enthusiastic audience.
The UN observes the Chinese Language Day on April 20 annually to promote multilingualism, cultural diversity, and the use of Chinese as one of the organization's six official languages.
Egyptian, Chinese students mark UN Chinese Language Day in Cairo
Organizers of the 2024 Shanghai International Film and TV Festival on Tuesday unveiled the jury panels who will both pick out the winners of the prestigious Golden Goblet Award for best film and the year's best TV content in the highly sought after Magnolia Awards.
Scheduled to run from June 14-28, the annual event, jointly hosted by the China Media Group (CMG) and the Shanghai Municipal People's Government, will select the very best productions out of thousands of films and TV creations which are vying for victory in the coveted entertainment industry awards.
During a press briefing for the event held in the capital Beijing on Tuesday, officials revealed the promotional posters for both events, drawing inspiration from the captivating cityscape and iconic landmarks of the east China metropolis of Shanghai.
Additionally, the jury committees for the major competition categories were announced. Notably, French-Vietnamese filmmaker Tran Anh Hung will lead the jury panel for the Golden Goblet Award, while Chinese director Yan Jiangang will preside over the top Magnolia Award for the TV industry.
The CMG will provide comprehensive coverage of the two-week-long festival period, with over 300 hours of uninterrupted live streaming, while also inviting renowned figures from the film and TV industry to share their insights and experiences during a series of special programs aired as part of the event.
Organizers note that thousands of works have come in from around the world, offering a distinct international flavor with a feast of different cultures, while a record number of productions are also set to make their debuts during the festival.
"We have received over 3,700 films from 105 countries and regions for exhibition or competition for the Golden Goblet Award since the collection began. A total of 2,224 works registered for competition, with over 1,375 works making their debut during the festival, marking a record high. This underscores the growing international influence of the Golden Goblet Award and reflects our commitment to cultural exchanges worldwide with strong cultural confidence, advancing Shanghai's vision of becoming an international cultural metropolis," said Chen Guo, director of Shanghai International Film and TV Festival Center.
Authorities unveil jury panels for upcoming Shanghai Int'l Film, TV Festival
