UNAM hosts Chinese troupe
Year of the Dragon: A student of China’s Nanjing Tech University performs the awakening lion, a dance which enjoys popularity in South China. This dance portrays the breathtaking fight between men and lions in ancient hunting escapades. The performance was staged earlier this week in Windhoek. (Photograph by Musa Carter)
The art tour was part of the celebrations of the Sino-Namibia relationship as well as the second annual Global Confucius Institutes Day which is officially celebrated on 27 September.
The Confucius Institute is an educational and cultural exchange organization established by Hanban of China in all parts of the world to spread Chinese language teaching and culture.
The well-attended event was organized by the Confucius Institute at the University of Namibia (UNAM) and was witnessed by high ranking government officials including the Chinese Ambassador to Namibia, H.E. Xin Shunkang and Professor Lazarus Hangula, Vice Chancellor of UNAM as well as members of the diplomatic corps.
The troupe had the opportunity to showcase their different dances that included the lively and electric, Dragon Dance, the Nanshi, Tai-chi (a kind of Chinese martial art) and various other musical performances, with powerful sounds from the Gu-Zheng.
During the event students from different institutions in Namibia had the opportunity to perform alongside the troupe demonstrating what they had learned during the Chinese troupe’s visit.
Ambassador Xin Shunkang said that the troupe’s visit marks yet another event in the ongoing cultural exchange and that the foundation and future of the friendship between Namibia and China has been strengthened.
Meanwhile, as part of the evening’s festivities, awards were hande to students who had excelled in appreciating Chinese culture. Earlier in the year Namibia had launched the Huawei Campus Awards, a Chinese knowledge competition across all the campuses in Namibia. The best submissions received prizes that were sponsored by Huawei.
Currently the Confucius Institute at UNAM which was established two years ago, has four teaching sites, the Windhoek International School, A Shipena School, Ella du Plessis High School and Eros School.
Speaking at the event Prof. Kenneth Matengu, Director : External & International Relations said that more of the institutions will be opened next year at E Shifidi as well as in Katima Mulilo and in Oshakati.
There are 37 Confucius institutes in Africa and more than 490 worldwide.
