Opening Ceremony

With the stronger momentum of Sino-Belarus friendly cooperation, the opening ceremony of the Confucius Classroom at Belarusian State University of Physical Culture (BSUPC), LNU’s partner school, was held at its auditorium at the noon on November 5. The ceremony was attended by leaders and guests from both countries, including the Belarus’s former vice prime minister and ambassador to China M.A. Tozik, Minister of Sports and Tourism A.E. Samok, Head of the Foreign Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Education M.A. Rakoff, Secretary-General of the Olympic Committee A.A. Kotov, the First Secretary of the Education Division of Chinese Embassy in Belarus Wang Dajun, Chinese and foreign directors of the Confucius Institutes at Belarusian State University (BSU) , Minsk State Linguistic University (MSLU) and Belarusian National Technical University (BNTU), the LNU delegation led by President Luo Hai’ou and President G.B. Kasachenko of BSU and the whole school. Over 200 people witnessed this historic moment. Belarus State TV Channel 1 and the national radio station made interviews and reports about the ceremony.

At the ceremony, M.A. Tozik congratulated on the establishment of the Confucius Classroom. He emphasized that this institute serves as a bridge connecting educational culture between the two countries and hoped both sides to consider it as an opportunity for further Sino-Belarus cooperation on sports culture. A.E. Samok hoped both sides to take advantage of this platform to further develop sports programs and technology cooperation to boost the development of sports talents. M.A. Rakoff said it is of great significance to the friendly Sino-Belarus relation as many teenagers in Belarus nowadays understand Chinese culture after studying at the Confucius Classroom (Institute). Wang Dajun congratulated the opening of the institution on behalf of the Chinese Embassy in Belarus and mentioned that it represents the first independent Confucius Classroom launched after the Confucius Classrooms opened under joint efforts of Jilin University and BNTU, Dalian University of Technology and BSU, and Southeast University and MSLU respectively. Wang Dajun said that the Confucius Institute (Classroom) represents the link to connect different cultures and the bridge for the promotion of Chinese culture and spiritual communication. He emphasized that, as martial arts, the treasure of Chinese culture, carries extensive and profound essence of Chinese sports, the Confucius Classroom offered by BSUPC, with features of martial arts, traditional Chinese health maintenance and the development of Chinese language talents, would bring new content and appeal to the Confucius Classroom. He reminded the audience that Confucius belongs to the world as well as China. Doctor Song Peng, the Chinese person in charge for the Confucius Classroom and representative from LNU, read the congratulatory letter from Ms. Xu Lin, Director-General of China’s Confucius Institute (Hanban).

Kasachenko, President of BSUPC, expressed gratitude to authorities of both two countries about their care and support to the Confucius Classroom and particularly thanked LNU for its efforts in the application to make the opening of the institution possible. This program will develop more talents who understand well about the culture of both countries.

LNU’s President Luo Hai’ou talked in his remarks about the friendly cooperation relationship and foundation between China and Belarus and the significance of the opening of the Confucius Classroom to educational cooperation between our two countries. President Luo pointed out that the ideas that carry influence on human development proposed by Confucius are great contribution to the society and hoped to educate youngsters about the Confucius spirit and to promote exchange and cooperation, advancing along the road created by leaders of our two countries. President Luo urged that, with BSUPC being a high-level educational institution in Belarus, both universities shall give play to each advantages at subject education and LNU and BSUPC shall carry out cooperation in full swing on the basis of the successful implementation of the Confucius Classroom featured by Chinese martial arts, health maintenance and rehabilitation, tea art and Chinese language culture. This is how, according to President Luo, discipline and talent improvement can be achieved and, in particular, more talents who understand cultures of both countries can be developed. At the end of the speech, President Luo sincerely expressed gratitude to authorities and people of the two countries who made efforts for the successful launch of the Confucius Classroom.

After the ceremony, BSUPC presented a fantastic cultural show to all the guests and held a “Fashion China” photo exhibition to celebrate the launch of the Confucius Classroom.

At the Ceremony

M.A. Tozik makes a speech

Head of the Foreign Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Education M.A. Rakoff makes a speech

Minister of Sports and Tourism A.E. Samok makes a speech

First Secretary of the Education Division of Chinese Embassy in Belarus Wang Dajun makes a speech

President G.B. Kasachenko of BSUPC makes a speech

Belarus national radio station interviewing President Luo Hai’ou

Belarus State TV Channel 1

Edited by Deng Fengguang