On April 20, local time, the Confucius Institute at Prince Sultan University in Saudi Arabia hosted the International Chinese Language Day event, titled "The Bridge of Language Exchange," in Riyadh. The event was organized by the Confucius Institute at Prince Sultan University, co-hosted by the Department of Asian Languages at Princess Nourah University, and supported by the King Abdulaziz Public Library. Representatives from the Chinese Embassy in Saudi Arabia attended the event.
The event officially began at 10:00 a.m. Participants included Chinese language learners and enthusiasts from multiple universities in Riyadh, education institution representatives, and members of the Chinese community in Saudi Arabia. Two cultural experience booths—calligraphy and Hanfu—were set up on-site, attracting a large crowd eager to participate. At the calligraphy booth, visitors had their names written in Chinese characters. At the Hanfu booth, attendees explored the evolution of traditional Chinese attire, with many Saudi citizens trying on costumes and taking photos as souvenirs.
At 11:00 a.m., the cultural performance segment began. Students from Princess Nourah University showcased their progress in Chinese language learning, using idioms and other forms of expression to highlight the cultural wisdom behind the language. Teachers from the Confucius Institute performed tai chi and classical Chinese dance. Additionally, the event featured performances such as flute music and ink painting demonstrations, highlighting the diverse charm of traditional Chinese culture.
Since its establishment, the Confucius Institute at Prince Sultan University has continuously promoted Chinese language education and the dissemination of Chinese culture, gradually building a multi-layered development system encompassing language instruction, cultural experiences, Chinese proficiency tests, and academic exchanges. In recent years, Princess Nourah University has made significant strides in Chinese language education, achieving notable progress in curriculum development, faculty training, and cultural exchange. As a national cultural hub, King Abdulaziz Public Library is responsible for implementing the "Prince Muhammad Bin Salman Award for Cultural Cooperation between Saudi Arabia and China," advancing deeper cultural and academic collaboration between the two nations.
The successful hosting of this event reflects the strong consensus between China and Saudi Arabia in the realm of language and cultural exchange, injecting new momentum into the localization of Chinese language education in Saudi Arabia. As the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two nations deepens, Chinese language education will play an increasingly vital role as a bridge promoting mutual understanding and cultural exchange between their peoples.
