STORY: Replica of Hallerstein-designed armillary sphere set up in Slovenia
SHOOTING TIME: Feb. 6, 2024
DATELINE: Feb. 8, 2024
LENGTH: 00:03:43
LOCATION: Ljubljana
CATEGORY: CULTURE/POLITICS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the ceremony 
2. various of Slovenian President Musar addressing the ceremony
3. various of the armillary sphere
4. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): NATASA PIRC MUSAR, Slovenian President
5. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): WANG SHUNQING, Chinese Ambassador to Slovenia

STORYLINE:

A full-scale replica of the armillary sphere with rotating rings created by Augustin Ferdinand Hallerstein, or Liu Songling by his Chinese name, in the 18th century, will be permanently installed in Ljubljana.

Slovenian President Natasa Pirc Musar, Chinese Ambassador to Slovenia Wang Shunqing, and Ljubljana Mayor Zoran Jankovic attended the inauguration ceremony on Tuesday in front of the Slovenian Archives building on the bank of Ljubljanica River, which runs through the capital.

Hallerstein, an astronomer, natural scientist and geographer, was born in Ljubljana in 1703. He arrived in China in 1739 after a two-year journey and never returned to Europe.

He spent 35 years in China as the head of the Board of Astronomy and Mathematics of the Qing Dynasty, where he created the astronomical observation instrument now hosted by the Beijing Ancient Observatory.

At the ceremony, Musar said the replica of the armillary sphere means a tribute to science, to the history of Slovenian diplomacy and to the excellent relations that Slovenia and China have established and diligently cultivated.

The Chinese Embassy in Slovenia collaborated with the Beijing Planetarium, employing 3D technology, to craft a full-scale replica of the armillary sphere and present it to Slovenia.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): NATASA PIRC MUSAR, Slovenian President
"I would like to say that this monument is definitely a reminder of what science can do for mankind, and Mr. Hallerstein is also a strong connection between China and Slovenia.
Last year, we celebrated the 30th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship (with China), and I can easily say that the relationship is good, it can always become even better.
Now, we also share the common responsibility for the global peace and order. We sit together in the Security Council of the United Nations. So a lot of debates among politicians are needed for the prosperity of the whole planet, and China is a very important part of that."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): WANG SHUNQING, Chinese Ambassador to Slovenia
"Today I am very happy to finally usher in the day when we made a 1:1 scale replica of an armillary sphere and presented it to Slovenia as a historical witness of the friendly exchanges between China and Slovenia."

An exhibition on Hallerstein was held last year, which coincided with the 30th anniversary of the China-Slovenia diplomatic ties and the 320th anniversary of his birth.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Ljubljana.
(XHTV)