Integrating into the local culture and supporting causes that strengthen relationships between China and Barbados is very important to all we are doing here on the island nation.
Last week we attended a Chinese language graduation ceremony and anniversary at the Confucius Institute which is located at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, which was a night of celebrating Chinese culture in Barbados.
Almost 350 people filled the hall with the majority of students and guests present donning traditional Chinese costume. It really brought a smile to our faces because it felt like home. The event was attended by dignitaries including Madam Wang Ke, the Chinese Ambassador to Barbados, Barbados government officials, Chinese Co-Director of the Confucius Institute, Dr. Song, and his colleagues, staff from the World Health Organization, the Head of International Public Relations, and other authority figures, as well as members from the local Chinese community.
It was an occasion celebrating Chinese culture in every way and a night we were delighted to support. There were videos, dancing, singing, martial arts performances and a poetry recital which showed the richness of the Chinese culture. It was a reminder of the diversity of our people and a chance for the Barbadians to learn more about China, its people and heritage.
The tone of the night was immediately set when two young children took to the stage to host the programme for the evening – a Barbadian boy and girl of Chinese descent, who wore red garments embroidered with the phoenix and dragon respectively. They kept the event lively and moving and flawlessly transitioned between English and Chinese.
The poetry recitation segment was especially stirring. We witnessed a hall full of people reciting the poem together with the person onstage in Mandarin. There are many Barbadians who are learning and mastering the Chinese language and taking a genuine interest in the Chinese culture. We felt immense pride and honour in knowing that our extensive cultural traditions have a strong hold in Barbados. The cross-cultural exchanges between East and West is ongoing and the friendship between the two nations continues to be cultivated.
The ambassador in her speech, iterated our roles as friendship ambassadors, a point that was highlighted earlier in the night on a video. It is a role we take great pride in. We hope to continue being good ambassadors for our country. We hope to maintain a close relationship with the people whom we have befriended here. We are grateful for their love and support. Such selfless acts of friendship remind us of the Chinese knot: “united we prosper”.
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