STORY: Ivorian youth pursues Kung Fu dream
SHOOTING TIME: Recent footage
DATELINE: Aug. 1, 2024
LENGTH: 00:01:39
LOCATION: Abidjan
CATEGORY: CULTURE/SPORT

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Jean Philippe N'Dri practicing Wushu
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (French): JEAN PHILIPPE N'DRI, Martial arts practitioner
3. various of Jean Philippe N'Dri practicing Wushu
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (French): JEAN PHILIPPE N'DRI, Martial arts practitioner

STORYLINE:

Jean Philippe N'Dri, a student at Felix Houphouet-Boigny University in Cote d'Ivoire, joined the university's martial arts club during his sophomore year.

From a young age, he was inspired by martial arts stars like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, which fueled his passion for Chinese Kung Fu.

Thanks to the support of the Confucius Institute, Philippe was granted an opportunity for a short-term exchange at the Shaolin Temple in China.

SOUNDBITE 1 (French): JEAN PHILIPPE N'DRI, Martial arts practitioner
"It was a beautiful discovery and a great dream come true.
Upon arrival, we saw people in Shaolin uniforms, just like in the movies, practicing Kung Fu techniques. We were excited to learn these techniques ourselves. The three-week training was intense, with the first two weeks being particularly tough. That's when we truly grasped why Chinese monks have such a formidable reputation."

After returning to Cote d'Ivoire, Philippe joined a local Shaolin training camp to teach Kung Fu.

He also became one of the leaders of the university's martial arts club.

SOUNDBITE 2 (French): JEAN PHILIPPE N'DRI, Martial arts practitioner
"We are ambassadors of the Chinese culture and also African culture. We hope to use martial arts as a bridge for communication and cultural exchange between the people of both countries, allowing everyone to benefit from it."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Abidjan.
(XHTV)