STORY: Chinese Bridge language competition held in Iraq's Kurdistan
DATELINE: June 20, 2023
LENGTH: 00:03:49
LOCATION: ERBIL, Iraq
CATEGORY: CULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the final round of the competition and performance
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): LIU ZHENYONG, Chinese Acting Consul General in Erbil
3. various of the final round of the competition and performance
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Kurdish): KAMRAN YOUNIS, President of Salahaddin University in Erbil
5. various of the final round of the competition and performance

STORYLINE:

Chinese language learners in Iraq's Kurdistan on Monday showcased their skills in Chinese language and culture at the 22nd edition of the Chinese Bridge competition held for college students, in the city of Erbil, the capital of Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region.

The competition was hosted by the Consulate General of China in Erbil and co-organized by the Chinese Department of Salahaddin University.

Twelve contestants participated in the competition, with hundreds of audiences, including representatives from the Consulate General of China, Chinese companies, the Kurdistan regional government, local universities, and other organizations.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): LIU ZHENYONG, Chinese Acting Consul General in Erbil
"It is the biggest competition of the Chinese language here in the Kurdistan region, so you have noticed that more than 200 audiences have attended this ceremony, and most of them are from the youth generation. So, it shows us the Chinese language is very attractive to the new generation and also to the whole Iraqi people and especially to the Kurdistan people of Iraq."

On the sidelines of the competition, many artistic performances were presented, including Chinese and Kurdish songs and music clips, as well as performances in Chinese martial arts.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Kurdish): KAMRAN YOUNIS, President of Salahaddin University in Erbil
"The aim of organizing this activity today is to introduce the heritage of two countries. Introducing China to the Kurdistan region and introducing Kurdistan to China. The integration of cultures through these activities is very important.
Iraq has close relations in all fields, especially political, economic, and cultural, with China dating back thousands of years ago. And the relations between the two countries have witnessed remarkable growth over the past few years."

The "Chinese Bridge" is an annual worldwide international competition in which non-Chinese students demonstrate their comprehensive ability to use the Chinese language and their knowledge of Chinese culture.

The Kurdistan region of Iraq has been witnessing a great demand by the population, especially young people, to learn the Chinese language in the past years, as Salahaddin University has hosted a Chinese language department since 2019.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Erbil, Iraq.
(XHTV)