On June 5th, Chinese Ambassador to Canada Lu Shaye, Minister Counsellor of the Education Office, Yang Xinyu, the Deputy Consul General of the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Montreal, Xing Wenjian with six-member delegation visited New Brunswick (NB). In the morning, Lu Shaye and his entourage visited Park Street Elementary School in Fredericton, which is the first Chinese-English-France trilingual school in the province and the first Confucius Classroom in the province, offering an example for Chinese spreading in other schools. Confucius Institute in New Brunswick (CINB) offers professional Chinese teaching. Over 5000 students are learning Chinese every year, which makes great contribution to friendly communication between Canada and China. Next, ambassador Lu delivered a speech at school and expressed his gratitude to the education department of NB, teachers and students of the school for their efforts in promoting Chinese program. He confirmed the achievements made by CINB in Chinese language promotion project and was impressed by the enthusiasm of students for learning Chinese. In the welcoming ceremony, all students recited Three Character Classic and other Chinese classics. The school’s Chinese dance club performed Blue and White Porcelain, which came to a climax of the atmosphere. After performance, ambassador Lu and his delegation observed a Chinese lesson in Confucius Classroom, and had a cordial conversation with students in three languages.
Chinese dance club students perform Blue and White Porcelain
Triplets Sisters present flowers to the delegation
In the afternoon, Lu Shaye went to the provincial governor’s office to attend a reception sponsored by the Ministry of Education of NB. Ms. Jocelyne Roy Vienneau, provincial governor of NB, extended a warm welcome to the ambassador’s visit. She stated that the cultural exchange between China and Canada has a long history. NB has established long-term trade ties with many provinces in China. Chinese culture, attaching much importance to “harmony is precious”, conforms to NB’s life philosophy of nature and harmony and has strong vitality and influence. With enhanced economic and political cooperation between the two countries, NB will further promote Chinese language and culture to an extensive and in-depth level.
Ms. Jocelyne Roy Vienneau delivers a speech
At the reception, Deputy Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development of New Brunswick, President of CINB, John McLaughlin pointed out that cultural development is borderless and the exchanges and cooperation between China and Canada require Chinese talents. He thanked AEI and CINB for offering Chinese learning opportunity and making contributions to cultural communication and Chinese spreading between Canada and China. He also mentioned that CINB created space for multi-cultural communication and broke misunderstanding. It promoted Canadian’s understanding about China and cultivated many students with international views for NB, building a good platform for friendly exchanges between China and Canada.
Mr. John McLaughlin delivers a speech.
Afterwards, Ambassador Lu Shaye delivered a keynote speech and thanked the Canadian government and people for their support and assistance in Chinese culture spreading. He mentioned that economic, trade and political communication are driven by culture. Only with the mutual efforts and understanding of people in the two countries can we create more benefits for the long-term development. The friendship between Canada and China had a long history, which needs continuous support from people of the two countries. It is the overall consciousness and global vision can we offer great environment for Chinese teaching spreading and Confucius Institute can transcend cultural difference and develop very well.
Mr. Lu Shaye delivers a keynote speech
Minister Counsellor, Yang Xinyu, gave a speech and thanked CINB for its great contributions to the Sino-Canadian Cultural Exchange. She pointed that the development of CINB was because of hard work of volunteer Chinese teachers and the support of local cooperation teams. The Vice President of AEI, Executive Director of CINB, Dawn Weatherbie has been working hard for seven years, offering strong support for Chinese program development in NB and promoting CINB programs to go ahead steadily. Because of her outstanding contribution to Chinese teaching and the development of CINB, the ambassador gave her “ Ambassador Award”. This is the first time that this honor has been awarded.
Ms. Yang Xinyu gives a speech
Ms. Dawn Weatherbie is honored with the first “Ambassador Award”
As Foreign Director of CINB, Superintendent of Chinese Teaching, Teng Jing received the Outstanding Contribution Award from the Deputy Minister of Education of NB. Teng Jing with John MacLaughlin, AEI members and all teachers of CINB took a “family” picture and recorded this precious moment. And she said gratefully that the strength of the team like “family” promote the development of CINB.
Ms. Teng Jing received the “Outstanding Contribution Award”
Photo with CINB teachers team
Photo with AEI team
Group photo
At the reception, representatives of overseas Chinese in the province were invited to attend and brought a wonderful performance of Yangqin, Pipa and Peking Opera.
Representative of overseas Chinese attends the reception.
During the visit, the ambassador and his delegation also met with Canadian piano prince, CINB’s outstanding student Roger Lord.
Photo with Mr. Roger Lord
They also visited the former Prime Minister Chretien's niece and Mr. Roderick Morin and Ms. Michèle Suzor and thanked them for their long-term friendship with China, their support for the development of CINB and offering accommodation for Chinese teachers. He said that volunteer Chinese teachers’ life in homestay is best proof for friendly communication between Canadian and Chinese people. It is also an epitome of harmonious coexistence of Canadian and Chinese culture.
Chinese Ambassador to Canada, Lu Shaye visits Ms. Michèle Suzor and Mr. Roderick Morin
On June.5, Ambassador to Canada, Lu Shaye spoke with the Daily Gleaner. In his discussion with Gleaner, Lu also spoke that China and Canada were recommended to establish inter-provincial communication and dialogue mechanisms to promote cooperation through exchanges, and stressed that in the context of current anti-globalization and trade protectionism, China and Canada should strengthen cooperation to jointly safeguard free trade and also economic globalization.
The news of Lu Shaye, the ambassador to Canada, visiting CINB were published on the official news websites of the Embassy of China in Canada, the Consulate General of China in Montreal, Confucius Institute Headquarters/Hanban, as well as the Qufu Normal University. The ambassador’s visit opened a new chapter of strengthened communication and cooperation between China and NB, which laid a solid foundation of bilateral cooperation on educational, cultural communication and other fields. At the same time, it confirms the efforts and achievements CINB has made in Chinese teaching and cultural spreading and inspired CINB to go further in the future.
Related news on Embassy of China in Canada official website
Related news on the Consulate General of China in Montreal official website
Related news on the Hanban official website
Related news on the Qufu Normal University official website
中国驻加拿大大使卢沙野一行访问新布伦瑞克省孔子学院
6月5日，中国驻加拿大大使卢沙野、教育公参杨新育、蒙特利尔总领馆副总领事邢文健等一行六人访问新布伦瑞克省（以下简称“新省”）。上午，卢沙野一行首先访问了弗莱市公园街小学。全校学生齐聚一堂，新省教育部助理副部长Chris Treadwell先生介绍：公园街小学是全省首家中英法三语学校，也是全省首家孔子课堂，为其他学校汉语文化的推广提供了示范样本。新布伦瑞克省孔子学院（以下简称“新省孔院”）为学生提供专业汉语教学，学员人数每年超过5000人，为中加友好交流作出了重要贡献。随后，卢大使发表讲话，感谢新省教育部门和全校师生为汉语推广工作作出的努力，肯定新省孔院在汉语推广项目取得的成绩，为各位学生的汉语学习热情所感动。欢迎仪式上，全校齐声朗诵《三字经》《一去二三里》等经典，学校舞蹈俱乐部成员带来扇子舞《青花瓷》，将现场气氛推向高潮。演出结束后，卢大使一行观摩了孔子课堂的一节轻松学中文汉语课，并用三语与学生亲切交谈。
下午，卢沙野一行前往省督府，参加由新省教育部主办的招待会， 70多位各界嘉宾参加了此次活动。新省省督Jocelyne Roy Vienneau女士对大使到访表示热烈欢迎，她表示，中加文化交流源远流长，新省与中国多各省份建立长期贸易联系，中国文化以和为贵，与新省自然和谐的生活理念相契合，在新省有着强大的生命力与影响力。随着两国经贸政治合作不断加强，新省也将进一步推动汉语与中国文化广泛而深入的开展。
招待会上，新省教育部副部长，新省孔院理事长John McLaughlin在发言中指出，文化发展无国界，中加交流合作需要汉语人才。他感谢大西洋教育集团（AEI）与新省孔院为当地汉语学习提供有效途径，为中加文化交流和汉语推广搭建桥梁。他还指出，新省孔院为新省的多元文化交流创造空间，打破隔阂，促进广大加拿大人了解中国，为新省培养了一大批具有国际视野的学生，为中加两国友好往来搭建起良好的平台。
随后，卢沙野大使发表主旨演讲，感谢加拿大政府和人民对中国文化传播工作的支持与帮助。他指出，经贸政治交流需要文化铺路，只有两国人民共同努力，相互理解，才能为两国的长远发展创造更大价值。中加友谊源远流长，需要两国政府人民持之以恒的努力。正是由于当地政府的大局意识和全球化视野，才能为汉语教育的普及提供广袤土壤，孔子学院才能跨越文化差异，蓬勃发展。
教育公参杨新育女士致辞，感谢新省孔子学院为中加文化交流所做的巨大贡献。她指出，孔子学院发展过程中，既得益于教师志愿者团队的辛勤奉献，也得益于加拿大当地合作团队的支持。大西洋教育集团副总裁，新省孔院理事会执行理事Dawn Weatherbie女士担任孔子学院执行理事已有七年，兢兢业业，为汉语项目在新省地区的发展提供有力保障，促进孔子学院项目稳步前行。随后，大使为其颁发“大使奖”，表彰她为汉语教学和孔院发展做出的突出贡献。这是该项荣誉的首次颁发。
作为孔子学院的加方院长及教学总督导，加籍华裔滕菁女士获得了省教育部副部长颁发的杰出贡献奖。会后，滕菁女士与教育部副部长John MacLaughlin，AEI工作人员及孔院全体教师拍摄“全家福”，记录下这一宝贵的时刻。并感谢AEI和CINB教师团队，是团队如“家”般的真挚力量推动着新省孔院不断向前发展。
招待会上，全省华人华侨代表应邀出席，并带来了扬琴、琵琶和京剧的精彩表演。
访问期间，大使一行还会见了加拿大钢琴王子、孔子学院优秀学员Roger Lord先生，还看望了克雷蒂安前总理外甥女夫妇Roderick Morin先生和Michele Suzor女士，感谢他们长期对华友好，支持孔院事业发展，多年来为孔院志愿者教师提供寄宿。他说：志愿者在寄宿家庭的生活，就是中加人民友好相处的见证，也是中加文化和谐共存的缩影。
6月5日，卢大使在接受当地主流英文报纸《每日拾穗报》采访时建议中加两国建立省际交流对话机制，以交流促合作，并强调在面临当前反全球化和贸易保护主义背景下，中加应加强合作，共同维护多边贸易体制和自由贸易。
驻加拿大大使卢沙野一行访问新省孔院新闻分别刊登在了中国驻加拿大大使馆、中国驻蒙特利尔总领事馆、孔子学院总部/国家汉办和曲阜师范大学新闻官网。此次访问，不仅掀开了中国与新省进一步加强交流与合作的新篇章，为增进中加两国教育、文化交流等各领域合作奠定了坚实的基础。同时，肯定了新省孔院在汉语教学与文化推广方面所作出的努力与成绩，激励新省孔院在未来发展的路上继续绽放异彩。
