The 13th Global Annual Conference of Confucius Institutes were held at the Century City International Centre, Chengdu, China on 04th-05th December 2018. Chengdu is the capital of southwestern China's Sichuan province and its history dates back to, at least, 4th century B.C. Sichuan province has been known as the “Province of abundance”. It is one of the main agricultural production bases and a major industrial centre of China. It is also known worldwide for its hot, fresh, fragrant and spicy cuisine. The city also houses the famous Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, ‘a conservation center where visitors can view endangered giant panda in a natural habitat’.
The keynote speech was delivered by Vice Premier of the State Council, People’s Republic of China, and Chair of the Council of the Confucius Institute Headquarters, Madam Sun Chunlan. Some of the other distinguished guests were: Mr Chen Baosheng, Minister of Education, People’s Republic of China, Vice Chair of the Council of the Confucius Institute Headquarters; and Mr Peng Qinghua, Secretary of the Sichuan Provincial Committee of Communist Party of China (CPC).
The main theme of the conference was “Development and Improvement of Confucius Institutes”. There were several keynote speakers on the opening day of the conference and Professor Keith Burnett, Fellow of the Royal Society of the United Kingdom, Former Vice Chancellor of University of Sheffield, Council Member of Confucius Institute Headquarters, talked about the role of Confucius Institutes at the leading edge of public diplomacy. He expanded on Chinese investment in Sheffield and how it has transformed the city and its environs. He said that China is a ‘far country that builds bridges and not walls’ and that ‘countries should work with China to create prosperity and opportunity’. Professor Liu Hong, President of Dalian University of Foreign Languages said that ‘the learning of a language is an act of friendship’.
There were a number of workshops and Presidents’ forums over the two days of the conference and the workshops covered topics such as ‘Performance Management of Confucius Institutes’; ‘How to Promote Cooperation among Confucius Institutes in the same Region’; ‘How to Integrate Chinese Language Instruction into Vocational Education to Facilitate Local Development; and ‘How to Develop Long-term and Sustainable Cooperation with Enterprises’. Some of the topics discussed at the Presidents’ Forums were: ‘Innovation in Education Model and Operation Mechanism of Confucius Institutes’; ‘Improving Partnerships with Stakeholders’; ‘Construction of Digital Confucius Institute’; and ‘Effective Branding of Confucius Institutes’.
The conference also held a number of exhibitions; the Confucius Institute of Chinese Language Teaching (CLT) Resource Exhibition showcased the achievements of international CLT resources, online platforms and various Chinese language and cultural products showcasing Sichuan’s intangible cultural heritage.
On the closing day of the conference, the delegates were invited to an exceptional poetry, music and dance performance, at the OTC theatre, Chengdu, entitled “Fragrance of Huaxia”.
Plate 1. The Pro VC (Planning & Resources), Associate Professor M. I. Santally (centre) in the company of two CI-UoM Directors at the 13th Global Conference of Confucius Institutes, Chengdu, China.
Plate 2. The Vice Premier of the State Council, People’s Republic of China, and Chair of the Council of the Confucius Institute Headquarters, Madam Sun Chunlan, addressing the audience at the opening ceremony of the 13th Global Annual Conference of Confucius Institutes, Chengdu, China, 04 December, 2018.
Plate 3. A snapshot of the audience, Directors of CIs and Presidents of Universities, attending the 13th Global Annual Conference of Confucius Institutes, Century City International Centre, Chengdu, China, 04 December 2018. The delegates were warmly welcomed by students of CI from different countries across the world.
Plate 4. The outstanding performers of “The Fragrance of Huaxia”, a culturally rich performance of poetry, music and dance at the OTC Theatre, Chengdu.