On the morning of November 11, the opening ceremony of the 31st Foreign Languages Festival and the inauguration of Mudan Academy were held at the Oriental Art Building of Balitai Campus. The event was co-hosted by the Italian Institute of Culture of the Embassy of Italy in China and the China-Italy Chamber of Commerce (CICC). Guest speakers include Mr. Mario Izzi, Cultural Attaché of the Embassy of Italy in China; Professor Luo Hongbo, Research Fellow of the Institute of European Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and President of the Italian Studies Branch of the Chinese Society for European Union Studies; Mr. Fabio Antonello, Vice President (North) of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in China. Speeches were also delivered by Mr. Zhang Xueliang, Deputy Director of the Department of Academic Affairs of Nankai University, and Professor Yan Guodong, Dean of the College of Foreign Languages and Dean of Mudan Academy of Nankai University. The event also received dozens of enterprise representatives from China and Italy, as well as faculty and student representatives from Hebei University of Technology, Hejian No.1 High School, Nankai Rixin International School, Rural Work Station Featuring Chinese Path to Modernization of Nankai University in Hejian City, and Mudan Academy.
Mr. Mario Izzi, Cultural Attaché of the Embassy of Italy in China
Professor Luo Hongbo, Research Fellow of the Institute of European Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and President of the Italian Studies Branch of the Chinese Society for European Union Studies
Mr. Fabio Antonello, Vice President (North) of the China-Italy Chamber of Commerce
Professor Yan Guodong, Dean of the College of Foreign Languages
and Dean of Mudan Academy of Nankai University
Professor Yan Guodong said that the past 31 years have witnessed the tremendous progress made to the Foreign Languages Festival, as the College strove for innovation based on past achievements. For the first time, Italy is invited as the guest of honor for the first time, not only consolidating the deep friendship between China and Italy, but also contributing to exchanges between Chinese and Italian cultures, as well as their integrated development. Later, Mr. Mario Izzi, Professor Luo Hongbo and Mr. Fabio Antonello delivered speeches, highlighting their expectations for further exchanges between the two countries and their high hopes for the event.
Mr. Zhang Xueliang, Deputy Director of the Department of Academic Affairs of Nankai University
Professor Fan Zhenjia, Deputy Director of Nankai University Library, Associate Professor of Nankai Business School, and Lecturer of Mudan Academy
Hu Yuehong, student representative of Mudan Academy
Mr. Zhang Xueliang, Deputy Director of the Department of Academic Affairs of Nankai University said that Nankai University Wisdom Academy, as an important carrier to build a community of teachers and students, integrates the concept of talent cultivation and academic guidance. He hoped that students could realize all-round development and realize their full potential in Mudan Academy by drawing on the knowledge in both liberal arts and science. Then, Fan Zhenjia, Deputy Director of Nankai University Library and Associate Professor of Nankai Business School, delivered a speech on behalf of the Mudan Academy, in which he expressed his earnest hope that students can find their own purpose. Hu Yuehong, a student representative, while sharing her experience in studying here, also expressed her passion for the academy and her enthusiasm for the development of a modern wisdom academy.
Group Photo of Newly-appointed Lecturers of Mudan Academy, Nankai University
Interactive Art Fair in Italian Style
The 31st Foreign Language Festival centered on Italian culture, and “Italy’s World Cultural Heritage Photo Exhibition” was opened in the Oriental Art Building, showing the unique charm of the world heritages and their historical memory. These carefully-selected photographs were a vivid demonstration of Italy’s cultural heritage, attracting audience from inside and outside the university.
Alessia Raisi sang with Nankai students
Alessia Raisi, an Italian singer, songwriter and music producer, was invited to give a special concert, during which students from the Italian Department offered Italian music performance, which was a vivid display their versatility and profound knowledge. The performance culminated in Raisi singing Italian songs with the Department’s freshmen.
Group Photo of Chinese and Italian Students and Faculty Members
Fabulous Party Featuring Harmony of Different Cultures
On the afternoon of November 11, the garden party of the 31st Foreign Languages Festival kicked off in the south garden of the Students’ Activities Center of Balitai Campus as scheduled. Twenty-nine booths were set up by five student associations, covering the cultures of sixteen countries in five continents. Representatives from the Rural Work Station Featuring Chinese Path to Modernization of Nankai University in Hejian City and enterprises such as Hebei Mingshangde Glass Technology Co., Ltd. were also at the event. The garden party received hundreds of visitors.
Stamping on “Global Passport”
In the beginning of the event, derivative products of the Foreign Languages Festival designed by students were welcomed by the partcipants. The “Global Passport”, patchwork stickers and exquisite pendants were a testament of their diverse features and infinite potential. Each exhibition area presented colorful cultural elements, providing valuable opportunities to explore the cultural diversity. Dozens of activities, ranging from lantern painting, dubbing interaction, to Arabic calligraphy experience, dazzled the participants. For instance, the Peking Opera Society received international students, foreign teachers, primary and secondary school students playing traditional Chinese musical instruments such as Erhu and trying on traditional opera costumes. The Cuban and Venezuelan booths saw Chinese and foreign teachers and students performed salsa dance. At the Malaysian booth, international students enthusiastically served Southeast Asian food, and traditional henna painting was quite popular, demonstrating the charm of cultural integration.
Chinese Calligraphy Experience
Chinese and Foreign Students Dancing Venezuelan Salsa
The garden party also presented global cultural exhibition, an impressive display of cultures around the globe with talented performance from the faculty staff and students, such as the beautiful bilingual recitation of Where Is She?from the Book of Poetry by students from Hejian No.1 High School, a Spanish crosstalk by Spanish teachers, and the Malaysian dance brought by Malaysian students. The performance was an audiovisual feast that demonstrated the unique charm of different cultures.
Foreign Faculty Staff Performs Spanish Crosstalk
International Students from Malaysia Performs Malaysian Traditional Dance
Students from Hejian No.1 High School Recites Where Is She? from the Book of Poetry
