A Role-Model of International Cooperation between Chinese and Overseas Directors: Directors of Confucius Institute at the University of Latvia Received Commendation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia
日前，拉脱维亚外交部致函孔子学院总部和拉脱维亚大学孔子学院，对拉脱维亚大学孔子学院及两位院长在传播中国语言文化和促进中拉关系方面做出的重要贡献表示嘉奖和致谢。外交部嘉奖信中说，拉脱维亚和中国的关系稳定而健康地向前发展，呈现出令人瞩目的特点，即开展积极政治对话、加强高层互访、促进教育文化等各领域合作；拉脱维亚大学孔子学院及其拉方院长贝德高教授和中方院长尚劝余教授对此做出了重要贡献；四年来，贝德高教授和尚劝余教授相互信任、密切合作、共同努力，使拉脱维亚汉语教学点由原来的4个增加到16个，其中孔子课堂由原来的1个增加到4个，汉语教学遍及拉脱维亚全境；在两位院长的不懈努力下，孔子学院不仅成为拉脱维亚人学习汉语的重要平台，而且成为拉脱维亚人认识和了解古代中国和现代中国的窗口，对促进中拉民间交往和中拉两国关系做出了重要贡献；为此，拉脱维亚外交部对拉脱维亚大学孔子学院表示嘉奖和支持，期待拉脱维亚大学孔子学院地位不断提升。
在拉脱维亚大学孔子学院办公室，相邻而坐着两位和蔼可亲的院长，大家亲切地称他们为“贝爷爷”和“尚大大”。这两位分别出生在1938年和1961年的拉方院长和中方院长，在孔子学院大家庭里结下了深厚的友谊，谱写了一曲中外方院长密切合作的友好颂歌，堪称中外方院长合作的典范。
两位院长痴心于弘扬和传播中国语言文化，对孔子学院热爱有加，一心扑在孔院工作上，在日常工作中既分工明确又密切配合，彼此坦诚相待，互相尊重和信任，精诚合作。孔子学院办公室既是他们的工作重地也是他们温馨的家，他们同处一室，相邻而坐，朝夕相处，随时交流。用贝爷爷的话说：“孔院办公室是世界上最好的地方，这里有最可靠的战友；我们彼此信任、互相合作，共同协商处理孔院所有事情。”回想起2016年暑假期间，为了赶在李克强总理前来里加出席第五届“16+1”政府首脑峰会之际出版《精选拉汉-汉拉词典》，两位院长废寝忘食地在办公室周末加班加点，通过微信与商务印书馆于立滨老师和外交部周宏友老师校对词典的情景，他们无不欣慰而感慨地说：那是一段忙碌并快乐的时光，甚至忙地连上厕所的时间都没有。两位院长在孔院办公室共同见证和分享着每一个幸福的时刻：两人一起商量起草贝院长赴北京人民大会堂出席“第十届中华图书特殊贡献奖”颁奖典礼的感言、给李克强总理赠送词典的感言、孔子学院先进个人申请书等。
两位院长心胸开阔，虚怀若谷，宅心仁厚，性情谦和，幽默风趣，就像两位慈爱的大家长，对孔院工作人员和汉语教师志愿者关爱有加，营造了一个温馨而和睦的孔院大家庭氛围，孔院上空飘荡着快乐祥和的欢笑声。用两位院长风趣的话说：他们是两位老革命老干部，带领一群朝气勃勃的年轻娃娃，迈步走在弘扬和传播中华文化的康庄大道上。用汉语教师志愿者的话说：贝爷爷和尚大大是她们可敬可爱的大家长，孔院是她们温馨的家园和港湾。两位院长不光时刻关心近水楼台的里加的汉语教师志愿者，而且时刻挂念身在数百里之外的外地教学点的志愿者，亲情地称她们为“塞外公主”，每当塞外公主们回里加参加完活动离别之际，院长眼中都会闪烁着依依惜别的盈光，他们每年都会专程去外地教学点视察，看望志愿者，嘘寒问暖。
在孔院所有活动中，都可以看到两位院长相随相伴、形影不离的身影。每年一度的全球孔子学院大会、中东欧孔子学院联席会（北欧-波罗的海孔院大会）、拉大孔院理事会等，两位院长都是自始至终同往同归，同时参加活动，互相关照。回想起2016年前往昆明参加全球孔院大会的情景，尚院长至今依旧感动地热泪盈眶：当时他双膝疼痛行走不便拄着双拐，在机场登记申请了轮椅，一路上机场工作人员用轮椅推着他，贝院长替他扛着双拐走在旁边，一幅多么令人动容的画面！一年一度的春节晚会、元宵节晚会、中秋节晚会、孔子学院日庆典、开学典礼、结业典礼以及其他所有活动，两位院长都是同时登台，分别用汉语和拉语致辞，不同的语言相同的内容，这已经成为拉大孔院的传统，对此大使馆李涛参赞深有感触，他在2017年元宵节上说：两位院长的致辞语言不同内容相同，传递出孔院中拉双方思想和谐、行动一致的友好信息。
两位院长不仅在工作中彼此信任、相互合作，而且在日常生活中相互关心、彼此照顾。贝院长经常去森林打猎，每次都会给尚院长带来他打的鹿肉野猪肉等，也经常给尚院长带来他家苹果树上结的苹果等。尚院长也经常请贝院长去家里吃饭或者带来夫人包的饺子烙的大饼做的面皮等。2017年4月贝院长夫人不幸因病去世，50余年相濡以沫的伴侣的离去，给贝院长带来了莫大的精神打击，久久不能从悲痛的阴影中走出来。受中国驻拉脱维亚大使馆黄勇大使的重托，尚院长利用回国出席第十二届全球孔子学院大会之机，陪伴这位“中国人民最尊贵的朋友”（黄勇大使对贝院长的赞誉）去华南的广东和西北的陕西散心休养，领略了美丽如春的岭南风光和古丝绸之路驿站窑洞村落文化。贝院长动情地对尚院长说：非常感谢你对我的照顾，帮助我度过了悲伤，更深入地了解了中国，我们不像是共事三年多的同事，好像是结识了三十多年的老朋友，我要联系拉脱维亚电视台，讲述我在广州、湛江、西安、宝鸡、长武的所见所闻，让拉脱维亚人民更多的了解当今的中国。
2018年是贝爷爷的八十岁生日和尚大大的五十七岁生日，也是两位院长合作共事满四年的日子，孔院全体人员在父亲节前夕举行的期末工作总结会议上精心准备了贝爷爷和尚大大合作共事四年来风雨同舟的视频，给贝爷爷和尚大大过了一个难忘的父亲节，也提前庆祝贝爷爷八十岁生日和尚大大五十七岁生日。两位院长热泪盈眶，尚大大数度哽咽，这是他第一次过父亲节，衷心感谢孔院儿女们的深情厚谊；贝爷爷激动地说：我从事汉语学习和教学五十余载，不曾想会有这么多的孙女孙子，我想用中国人爱说的一句话表达我的心情：人老心不老！希望我们永远真诚合作，为孔子学院的发展做出更大的贡献。
诚然，孔子学院的发展壮大离不开孔子学院总部、中外方合作院校、孔院全体人员的共同努力，更离不开中外方院长这两位前线指挥官的密切配合与精诚合作。拉脱维亚大学孔子学院双方院长给我们留下了一个中外精诚合作的不朽的传奇佳话，在两位院长的共同努力下，拉脱维亚汉语教学点由原来的4个增加到16个，其中孔子课堂由原来的1个增加到4个，无论教学点数量还是孔子课堂数量在波罗的海国家遥遥领先，汉语之花正在拉脱维亚这个一带一路沿线国家悄然绽放！孔子学院不仅成为拉脱维亚人学习汉语的重要平台，而且成为传播中国文化的桥梁、了解中国的窗口、链接民间交往的纽带，成为一带一路沿线的一个亮点，对促进中拉民心相通、中拉文化交流和中拉友谊做出了重要贡献。
On May 28, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia sent a commendation letter to Confucius Institute Headquarters and Confucius Institute at University of Latvia to express their appreciation to Confucius Institute at University of Latvia as well as its Latvian-side and Chinese-side director’s important contributions to the dissemination of Chinese language and culture, also to the promotion of China-Latvia relations. The commendation letter says that the stable and constructive development of the relations between Latvia and China has shown remarkable characteristics, namely, to launch active political dialogue, to strengthen high-level exchanges of visits, and to promote cooperation in various fields, such as education and culture. The Latvian-side director Prof. Pildegovics and Chinese-side director Prof. Shang Quanyu of Confucius Institute at University of Latvia have made important contributions to this process. Over the past four years, Chinese teaching sites spread all over Latvia, and their number has increased from 4 to 16, of which the number of Confucius Classroom has increased from 1 to 4. With the unremitting efforts of the two directors, the Confucius Institute has not only became an important platform for Latvians to learn Chinese language, but also a window for Latvians to understand ancient and modern China, therefore made important contributions to promoting people-to-people exchanges and bilateral relations. For this reason, Latvia’s foreign ministry expresses appreciation and support to the increase of status of Confucius institute at University of Latvia.
In the office of Confucius Institute at University of Latvia, one will see two amiable directors, affectionately called as “Bei Yeye” and “Shang Dada”, sitting next to each other. The two directors, born in 1938 and 1961 respectively, has developed a deep friendship and written an eulogy of close cooperation, which can be regarded as a role-model of international cooperation between Chinese and overseas directors.
The two directors are infatuated in promoting and spreading Chinese language and culture. They have a keen passion for and devote themselves to the work of the Confucius Institute. In their daily work, they both work in close cooperation, treat each other frankly and sincerely. The Confucius Institute Office is not only their work place but also their warm home. “Confucius Institute Office is the best place in the world where we have the most reliable comrades, we trust each other, cooperate with each other and work together to deal with everything.” said Prof. Pildegovics. Recalling the summer of 2016 when the two directors worked overtime on weekends even skipping sleep and meals in order to publish Latvian-Chinese and Chinese-Latvian Dictionary prior to Premier Li Keqiang’s arrival in Riga for the fifth “16+1” summit of heads of government, the two directors said “We still can recall the scene when we proofread the dictionary with Yu Libin from Commercial Press and Zhou Hongyou from the Foreign Ministry through WeChat. It was a busy but happy time, even we did not have time to go to the toilet.” The two directors witnessed and shared every moment of happiness in the office of the Confucius Institute, such as drafting Prof. Pildegovics’ speech for “The 10th Chinese Book Special Award” ceremony in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Prof. Pildegovics’ remark for giving dictionary to Premier Li Keqiang, the application form of Excellent individual award of Confucius Institutes, etc.
The two directors are open-minded, modest, courteous, humorous, and like parents to the staff of the Confucius Institute. They create a warm and harmonious family atmosphere for all. In the witty words of the two directors, they are “two old revolutionary cadres, leading a group of vibrant youth, walking along the broad road of promoting and spreading Chinese culture”. In the words of the Chinese volunteer teachers, Bei Yeye and Shang Dada are their most respected and lovable parents, while Confucius Institute is their warm home and harbor. Not only do the two directors always care about the Chinese volunteer teachers in Riga, but they also care about those who are hundreds of miles away from Riga, who are affectionately called “the Beyond Riga Princesses”. The directors’ eyes flashed with tears every time the princesses left Riga. Every year, the directors go to different teaching sites to visit volunteers.
You will see two accompanying and inseparable figures in every Confucius Institute activities. The two directors are companies and take care with each other when participating in activities, for instance, the annual global Confucius Institute Conference, the Central and Eastern Europe Confucius Institute Joint Conference (Nordic-Baltic Countries Confucius Institute Conference), the Board Meeting of Confucius Institute at University of Latvia, and so on. Prof. Shang recalls his trip to Kunming in 2016 for the 11th Confucius Institute Conference with teary-eye, “At that time, I could not walk with pain in my knees. I was unable to walk except with a double crutch. I applied for a wheelchair at the airport. Prof. Pildegovics walked beside me carrying my two crutches along the way while airport staff pushed me with a wheelchair.” At Confucius Institute’s annual activities, such as Spring Festival Gala Show, Lantern Festival Show, Mid-Autumn Festival Show, Confucius Institute Day, opening ceremony, graduation ceremony and all the other activities, the two directors always deliver speech in two different languages but with the same text, which has become the tradition of Confucius Institute at University of Latvia .“The two directors have sent a friendly message of harmonious thinking and concerted action between the two sides of Confucius Institute at University of Latvia through their same text speech in two different languages.” said Chinese Counsellor Li Tao, on Lantern Festival in 2017.
The two directors not only trust and cooperate with each other in their work, but also care for each other in their daily lives. Prof. Pildegovics always bring wild boar meat to Prof. Shang after hunting in the forest. He also brings Prof. Shang apples from his apple tree. Prof. Shang often invites Prof. Pildegovics to have dinner at home or bring dumplings and pancakes to Prof. Pildegovics. In April 2017, Prof. Pildegovics’ wife passed away. It brought a great mental attack to Prof. Pildegovics, so that he could not come out of the shadow of grief for a long time. Entrusted by the Chinese Embassy in Latvia, Ambassador Huang Yong, Prof. Shang made use of the opportunity to return to China to attend the 12th Global Confucius Institute Conference to accompany the “most honorable friend of the Chinese people” (Huang Yong’s praise to Prof. Pildegovics). They went to Guangdong and Shaanxi to enjoy the beautiful Lingnan scenery and the ancient Silk Road stagehouse cave village culture. After that, Prof. Pildegovics said affectionately to Prof. Shang, “Thank you very much for your kind care, for helping me get through my grief and for getting to know China more deeply. It seems we are not colleagues who have been working together for three years, but more like old friends for more than 30 years. I would like to contact Latvian TV to tell them my experience in Guangzhou, Zhanjiang, Xi’an, Baoji, Changwu, to let the Latvian people know more about modern China.”
2018 is Bei Yeye’s 80th birthday and Shang Dada’s 57th birthday. It is also the 4th year they have been working together. At the work summary meeting held on the eve of Father’s Day, all the staff of the Confucius Institute prepared a memorable video of Bei Yeye and Shang Dada to give them an unforgettable Father’s Day and birthday. The two directors were tearful and choked up several times. Prof. Shang said, “this is the first time I had ever celebrated Father’s Day and thank you all children of the Confucius Institute for your profound sentiments.” While Prof. Pildegovics said excitedly,” I have been studying and teaching Chinese for more than 50 years. I never thought that there would be so many grandchildren like you. I would like to express my feelings with a Chinese saying, be old in age but young in mind. I hope that we will always cooperate sincerely and make greater contributions to the development of the Confucius Institute.”
Admittedly, the development and expansion of Confucius Institutes could neither be done without the joint effort from Confucius Institute Headquarters, cooperative universities from China and Latvia, all members of Confucius Institute at University of Latvia, nor the close sincere cooperation of the two directors. The directors have left us with an immortal legend of sincere cooperation between China and overseas countries. Over the past four years, Chinese teaching sites spread all over Latvia, and their number has increased from 4 to 16, of which the number of Confucius Classroom has increased from 1 to 4. The flower of Chinese language and culture is quietly blooming in Latvia, this Belt and Road’s alongside country. The Confucius Institute not only becomes an important platform for Latvians to learn Chinese, but also a bridge for spreading Chinese culture, a window for understanding China, a link ties for non-governmental contacts, and a bright spot along the Belt and Road. It has made important contributions to promoting people-to-people exchanges, cultural exchanges and friendship between China and Latvia.
