On January 17, less than two weeks before Spring Festival, more than 20 Chinese and international teachers and students from Russia, Pakistan, India, Ethiopia and Nigeria gathered at the Salon of the Academic Exchange Center for a Spring Festival themed cultural celebration.
The event aimed to share traditional Chinese culture, such as the history and mythology of Spring Festival; and foster cross-cultural understanding through hands-on activities, including creating spring couplets and window decorations.
Ms. Hui Wang, Deputy Director of the Office of Graduate Education, opened the event with warm greetings to all participants. She explained that the event was organized by the RISE (Rose in Science & Elite) Initiative, which since its establishment in 2015, has successfully hosted various global activities providing opportunities for international students and young scholars in scientific research. She expressed hope that this Spring Festival gathering would strengthen the sense of belonging and unity within the CIOMP international family while encouraging deeper cultural understanding.
Fig.1 Ms. Hui Wang briefing the audience about RISE
Shantong Qiao, Chairman of the RISE Student Association, told the story of ‘Nian’, a legendary monster central to the lore about the origin of the celebration of the Spring Festival, highlighting the recent inclusion of Chinese Spring Festival celebrations into the UNESCO’s list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and introduced some customs of Chinese New Year.
Fig.2 Shantong Qiao talking about Spring Festival celebration
Participants then immersed themselves in traditional Spring Festival preparatory activities. International students used brushes and ink to write auspicious words such as “Luck” and “Fortune”, incorporating their New Year wishes into each brushstroke. They also created intricate window decorations from red paper, expressing their fondness for traditional Chinese craftsmanship. The entire room was filled with a joyful and harmonious atmosphere.
Fig.3 Participants making their own Spring Festival decorations
At the end of the event, Ms. Hui Wang encouraged foreign teachers and students to join more future activities organized by the Graduate Department, and share their traditional traditions and customs, fostering a closer and more united CIOMP community.
The CIOMP Graduate Department has made continuous effort to promote international education and exchange in recent yesars. This latest event is the first of a series with the theme “We Are Family”, aimed at helping International faculty and students to understand China and Chinese culture better, and bring all members of the CIOMP community closer.
Fig.4 Group photo of all participants
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