STORY: Jordanian students learn about Chinese Spring Festival culture
SHOOTING TIME: Jan. 16, 2024
DATELINE: Jan. 17, 2024
LENGTH: 00:02:36
LOCATION: Amman
CATEGORY: CULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the event
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): MOHAMMAD SALAMEH, Student
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): RAMA DAOUD, Student

STORYLINE:

A cultural event was held Tuesday at Philadelphia University in Jordan to showcase the traditions of China's Spring Festival, which falls on Feb. 10 this year.

The event was jointly held by the university's Confucius Institute and the China Cultural Center in Amman, attracting the participation of more than 300 students who were eager to learn about Chinese Spring Festival culture.

During the event, the Jordanian students tasted dumplings, the quintessential festive food of China, enjoyed a Chinese classical music performance, practiced Chinese calligraphy, and learned traditional Chinese paper cutting.

Shi Wei, the cultural counselor at the Chinese embassy in Amman, said the Spring Festival, which sees families reunited, embodies traditional Chinese values of peace, harmony, and balance... were shared by Jordanians.
   
Shi added that the event has allowed students in Jordan to deepen their understanding of and interest in Chinese culture by closely experiencing the Spring Festival traditions by themselves.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): MOHAMMAD SALAMEH, Student
"I am one of the people who love Chinese calligraphy because Chinese calligraphy is similar to drawing, and it is very beautiful. How to draw with a Chinese brush and with Chinese ink and the way to write it, is very beautiful."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): RAMA DAOUD, Student
"The Chinese culture is very beautiful. I love it. We studied it at the university in culture and arts lessons, and it was very interesting and beautiful. I love Chinese culture."

The counselor noted that the Spring Festival has become an international festival, and an increasing number of people across the globe are joining the Chinese people in the festive celebrations.

The Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, has been officially listed as a UN floating holiday in its calendar of conferences and meetings as of 2024.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Amman.
(XHTV)