The Chinese Embassy in Nigeria joined their counterparts across the world to mark the 2024 International Chinese Language Day Celebration with an event to celebrate harmony in cultural diversity.
Held at the China Cultural Centre in Abuja, the event was attended by distinguished personalities including Li Xuda, Cultural Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy and Director of the China Cultural Centre in Nigeria, James Sule, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, Aisha Adamu Augue, Director-General, Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization, Ahmed Sodangi, Director-General, National Gallery of Arts, students, Chinese tutors, Nigerian and Chinese nationals.
Cultural Counsellor Li Xuda, in his welcome remarks, said the International Chinese Language Day Celebration observed annually on April 20th is an event established by the United Nations Department of Public Information in 2010, to celebrate cultural diversity and promote equal use of all of its official six working languages throughout the organization.
Mr Li said there has been a growing interest in learning the Chinese language in Nigeria, and the embassy is committed to making sure more Nigerians learn the Chinese language and culture through strategic collaboration with relevant agencies and academic institutions.
“Nigerians, especially high school and college students, have started learning the Chinese language and its rich culture. We currently have two Confucius Institutes in Nigeria, one at the University of Lagos and the other at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, Anambra state. We will work with more Nigerian universities like the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and the University of Abuja to explore the possibility of establishing a Confucius Institute. Chinese language classes have already realized the dreams of many Nigerians to learn Chinese. The China Cultural Centre in Nigeria has been teaching Chinese for over 10 years since its establishment in 2013.”
The Chinese envoy also emphasized the importance of celebrating Nigeria’s over 500 languages because Nigeria is the cradle of African civilization with over 250 ethnic groups.
Earlier in his remarks, James Sule, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, said the 2024 International Chinese Language Day Celebration provides an avenue to also celebrate the power of all languages in bridging gaps and building bonds. He stated that the Ministry is committed to supporting language education and initiatives that encourage the learning of the Chinese language among Nigerians, “thereby enhancing cultural literacy and global connectivity.”
He said the ministry is committed to fostering a vibrant cultural exchange that not only celebrates “our diverse heritage but also embraces the rich traditions of the Chinese language and culture.”
“We are also dedicated to creating platforms for dialogue and collaboration that transcend borders and languages. In addition, the Ministry promotes multicultural understanding and appreciation. We believe that through events like the International Chinese Language Celebration, we can build stronger cultural ties and mutual respect between Nigeria and China,” Mr Sule added.
Other speakers at the event highlighted the need to emulate the Chinese experience by encouraging and promoting the speaking of Nigerian languages to prevent them from going into extinction. These can be achieved through appropriate government policies and programs like the Nigeria Language Day Celebration, and language speaking competitions.
Guests at the event were treated to amazing musical and dance performances by Chinese and Nigerian music troupes.
Spoken by over 1.3 billion worldwide as their first language, the Chinese language, the most spoken native language in the world, is fast becoming an increasingly important global language.
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