Opening Groningen of Confucius Institute

A Chinese ambience and events including a lecture on Confucianism formed the backdrop to the opening of the Groningen Confucius Institute (GCI) on Friday 27 May 2011. The GCI is a collaboration between Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen, the University of Groningen and the Communication University of China (CUC). The festivities took place in the Aula of the Academy Building, Broerstraat 5.

The aim of the GCI – the second Confucius Institute in the Netherlands – is to strengthen bonds between China and the Netherlands. Combining its founders’ knowledge and strengths, the Institute will provide high-quality and trustworthy language, culture and business services.

Courses and training programmes

The Groningen Confucius Institute aims to promote Chinese culture and the Chinese language, both in the business world and in general, as well as in the education sector in the northern Netherlands and northwest Germany.
The Institute will offer Chinese language courses and cultural courses and activities which will bring China closer to the public. The GCI will also organize trade missions and training programmes to promote trade between China and the Netherlands and northern Germany.

Global network

The Groningen Confucius Institute is part of a far-flung network of Confucius Institutes across the world. China establishes the institutes in collaboration with local universities. The institutes are comparable to the Alliance Française and the Goethe Institute.

Note for the press

Programme
5.00 p.m.  Word of welcome by Ms Xuefei Cao, GCI director, followed by the opening
5.20 p.m. Speech by Mayor J.P. Rehwinkel
5.30 p.m. Zither recital by Ms Tang Bei. She will be playing the guzheng, a plucked zither
5.35 p.m. Speech by the Ambassador of China, Mr Zhang Jun
5.40 p.m. Speech by the Chair of the CUC, Mr Su Zhiwu
5.30 p.m. Sheng recital by Ms Tang Bei The sheng is a mouth-blown reed instrument
5.50 p.m. Lecture by Dr K. van der Leeuw, philosopher and sinologist at the University of Amsterdam His books include ‘Het Chinese denken’(Chinese thought) and ‘Confuciuanisme’ (Confucianism).
6.30 p.m. Lion dance by Bao Trieu sports centre, led by Earl Blijd, a Wushu martial arts specialist
6.45 p.m. First musical performance by the Meiborg producties ensemble
7 p.m. Taiji performance in the garden, performed by Bao Trieu members
7.40 Second musical performance
8.30 p.m. End of ceremonies

Further information
- Xuefei Knoester-Cao, Director, tel. +31 50 - 363 46 88, x.cao rug.nl or Marieke Havinga, Vice Director, tel. +31 50 - 363 46 88, r.s.havinga pl.hanze.nl

- The GCI is located at Oude Boteringestraat 42 in Groningen.

- www.confuciusgroningen.nl