The 2023 Confucius Institute Day and Mid-Autumn Festival Celebrations were Successfully Held 2023年“孔子学院日”暨“中秋节”庆典成功举办

[News from the Confucius Institute at the University of Latvia Correspondent Liu Xian Photographer Xu Shen]

        From 17:00 to 20:00 on September 25, Latvian time, the 2023 Confucius Institute Day and Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations were successfully held in the auditorium of the University of Latvia. It was co-organized by the Confucius Institute at the University of Latvia and Latvian China Studies Association. More than 300 people attended the event.

        The guests attending the party included Mr. Tang Songgen, Ambassador of the Chinese Embassy in Latvia and Mrs. Tang; Ms. Wang Nan, Director of Chinese Culture Center in Riga, etc.; Mr. Valdis Segliņš, the Vice Principal of the University of Latvia; Chinese Director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Latvia Professor Shang Quanyu and Mrs. Shang, Latvian Director Professor Pēteris Pildegovičs, the new Chinese Director Professor He Dong and Mrs. He; teachers and students at the Confucius Institute and other guests from all walks of life.

        In the opening speech, Professor Pēteris Pildegovičs and Professor Shang Quanyu expressed a warm welcome to everyone present and emphasized the importance of the golden autumn month for the Confucius Institute at the University of Latvia: the beginning of the new semester, the anniversary of the University of Latvia, the Mid-Autumn Festival and the Confucius Institute Day. Finally, the two directors hoped that every Confucius Institute member’s dream will come true, and appreciated everyone for their long-term support to the Confucius Institute at the University of Latvia and looked forward to continuing to create new situations and create new glories together. Mr. Tang Songgen, Ambassador of the Chinese Embassy in Latvia, stated in his speech that in March of this year, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Civilization Initiative for the first time and was committed to realizing exchanges and dialogue among different civilizations. He also affirmed that this event is a powerful manifestation of the implementation of the Global Civilization Initiative. Then, the Vice Principal Valdis Segliņš delivered a speech. He briefly introduced the customs and legends of the Mid-Autumn Festival to everyone, and called on everyone to actively learn Chinese and Chinese culture.

        The celebration officially started in the warm atmosphere of the Chinese culture themed workshops. There are calligraphy and traditional Chinese painting experiences for self-cultivation, martial art and shuttlecock teaching for physical fitness, as well as interesting and fun experiences of taking Chinese names, coloring facial makeup, turning flower ropes, and knitting Chinese knots. There was an endless stream of experiencers in front of each workshop, and everyone had endless fun while gaining cultural knowledge. It can be said to be both educational and entertaining.

        The performances that followed pushed the atmosphere of the scene to a climax. There are various forms of performances, including martial arts, dances, songs, guzheng and clarinet. The lion dance and martial arts performance quickly ignited the atmosphere of the scene; Professor He Dong and local Chinese teacher Madara Smalka sang a beautiful song “Why Are the Flowers So Red”, which was full of exotic style; the dance “Drunk” presented by Zaoxing and Xiaodi, students of the Confucius Institute at the University of Latvia, made the audience intoxicated as if they had witnessed the Chang’e fairy dancing before them. In addition, representatives of international students and the Xin Yue Choir performed the beautiful Chinese song “Friends” and Latvian songs “Tu saviļņoji mani”. It is worth mentioning that Marija and her father performed the Chinese song and dance of “I Wish to Be a Lotus in the Next Life”, which was touching. Finally, the celebration ended successfully with the singing of “May Our Life be Long”.

        This event not only presented an audio-visual feast to the audience, but also gave people a deeper understanding of Chinese culture, effectively promoted Chinese education and cultural exchanges in Latvia, and enhanced the friendship between the people of China and Latvia.

【拉脱维亚大学孔子学院讯 通讯员 刘贤 摄影 徐申】

        皎皎明月意，浓浓中秋情。当地时间9月25日17:00-20:00，拉脱维亚大学孔子学院联合拉脱维亚留华同学会在拉脱维亚大学礼堂成功举办2023年“情满中秋”——“孔子学院日”暨“中秋节”庆典。出席活动的主要嘉宾有，中国驻拉脱维亚大使馆唐松根大使及夫人王倩，里加中国文化中心主任王楠，拉脱维亚大学副校长赛格林什，拉方院长贝德高，拉脱维亚大学孔子学院中方院长尚劝余及夫人张桂英，新任中方院长何东及夫人陶丽萍，以及孔子学院师生等拉脱维亚各界人士大约300人。

        贝德高和尚劝余二位院长在开场致辞中对全体来宾表示热烈欢迎，并强调了金秋九月对于拉大孔院的重要意义：新学年开学、拉大校庆、中秋节和孔院日齐聚九月，可谓四喜临门。他们希望每个孔院人都梦想成真，感谢大家对拉大孔院十年如一日的支持，期待拉大孔院继续开创新局面，再创新辉煌。唐松根大使在致辞中讲到，今年三月国家主席习近平首次提出全球文明倡议，致力于实现不同文明的交流对话。并肯定了本次活动正是落实全球文明倡议的有力体现。接着，拉脱维亚大学赛格林什副校长发表了致辞。他向大家简要介绍了中秋节的习俗和传说，号召大家积极学习中文，了解中国文化。

        本次庆典活动在中国文化主题工作坊的热烈氛围下正式拉开帷幕。有修身养性的书法、国画体验，也有强身健体的武术、毽子教学，更有趣味横生的取中文名、涂脸谱、翻花绳、编中国结的体验。每个工作坊前的体验者络绎不绝，大家在收获文化知识的时候也收获了无穷的乐趣，可谓是寓教于乐。

        紧随其后的文艺演出更是将现场的氛围推至高潮。节目形式多种多样，武术、舞蹈、歌曲、古筝、黑管纷纷登场。拉脱维亚武术协会的舞狮表演和武术套路表演让现场观众热血沸腾，拍手叫绝；何东院长和本土汉语教师马笑笑倾情献唱的《花儿为什么这样红》，曲风雄浑，充满异域风情；孔院学生早星和小滴带来的舞蹈《醉》仿佛让观众目睹了“起舞弄清影”的嫦娥仙子，沉醉其中。此外，留学生代表和心乐合唱团分别演绎了动听的中文歌曲和拉文歌曲《朋友》《Tu saviļņoji mani》等。值得一提的是，玛利亚和父亲倾情演出了《来生愿做一朵莲》的中文歌舞，令人感动。最后，庆典在大合唱《但愿人长久》的曼妙歌声中圆满落幕。

        此次活动不仅为观众献上了一场视听盛宴，而且让人们对中国文化有了更深入的了解，有效地助力拉脱维亚中文教育和文化交流事业，增进中拉两国人民的友谊。