STORY: Rwandan girls' school hosts Chinese cultural exhibition
SHOOTING TIME: Nov. 9, 2024
DATELINE: Nov. 11, 2024
LENGTH: 00:03:26
LOCATION: Kigali
CATEGORY: EDUCATION

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the culture exhibition
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): DIVINE IYAKARE, School student leader
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): ZENG GUANGYU, Director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Rwanda

STORYLINE:

A Chinese cultural exhibition aimed at providing Rwandan students with an opportunity to understand Chinese culture was held Saturday at a girls' school in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda.
   
The event at FAWE Girls' School featured a dragon dance, kung fu, Chinese calligraphy, a tea ceremony, Chinese costume, Chinese cuisine and paper cutting.
   
"Our delight is beyond measure because of this golden opportunity to host this event," said Marie Pelagie Umumararungu, head of the school, noting that the prestigious event fostered cultural exchange between China and Rwanda. "I strongly believe that this event is going to provide an excellent opportunity for our students in terms of cultural experiences. We are all excited to witness a rich exchange between China and Rwanda."
   
Chinese Ambassador to Rwanda Wang Xuekun congratulated the Confucius Institute at the University of Rwanda for organizing the exhibition. He also thanked FAWE Girls' students for their interest in Chinese language and culture. He emphasized the importance of equipping young people with the right education and commended the school for its achievements in that endeavor.
   
"Language and culture are bridges of communication. With friendship between China and Rwanda, our people-to-people exchanges are enormously expanding," Wang said.
   
The Confucius Institute resumed Chinese courses at the school this year with many students undertaking them.
   
Divine Iyakare, a student leader at the school, said the cultural show was amazing as she was curious about Chinese culture. "I liked the dragon dance. It was my first time seeing it," she said.
   
SOUNDBITE 1 (English): DIVINE IYAKARE, School student leader
"I was very curious to know more about their culture, and I have come to know the Chinese costumes, tea preparation, and handwriting as well as dragon dances."

Zeng Guangyu, the director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Rwanda, said the culture exhibition was mixed with Rwandan culture. For example, during the paper cutting, participants cut Rwandan symbols like gorillas and for chirography; they wrote Rwandan local language Kinyarwanda.
   
SOUNDBITE 2 (English): ZENG GUANGYU, Director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Rwanda
"We want to strengthen cultural connections and even the two countries connection through people and cultural activities. The FAWE girls' school and the community around here, will know some Chinese culture, and the Chinese participants will also know Rwandan culture and we will appreciate each other's culture. This is a kind of mutual learning, and through this learning, we can strengthen ties between the two countries."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Kigali.
(XHTV)