The New Breakthrough in the Construction of the “Belt and Road” Initiative

       To better implement the “Belt and Road” initiative and build a bridge of people-to-people exchanges and cultural mutual learning, the Confucius Classroom at Baranovich State University of Belarus hosted by our school was officially inaugurated online on February 9th, achieving a breakthrough in the construction of Confucius Institute in our university and adding new achievements in international education.

President Wu Pute delivered a video speech

      President Wu Pute delivered a video speech to congratulate the opening of Confucius Classroom. He said that the establishment of the Confucius Institute has always been one of the important tasks of the internationalization of our university. The official opening of the Confucius Classroom of Baranovich National University is the result of the practical  cooperation between Northwest A&F University and Baranovich National University of Belarus, and more importantly, it is the fruit of the cultural exchanges between China and Belarus. Together with Baranovic National University, NWAFU will gradually establish a Confucius Institute with agricultural characteristics by combining education in the field of agricultural science and technology with Chinese language learning based on the advantageous majors of both universities, showing the characteristics of agriculture and forestry. Vassily Kachouerk, President of Baranovich University in Belarus, expressed that to deepen the cooperation between the two universities and boost the construction of the "Belt and Road" initiative, BU would provide various services for the construction of Confucius Classroom.

     Zhao Lingshan, vice chairman and secretary general of China International Chinese Language Education Foundation, sent a congratulatory letter on behalf of the foundation. He said that the foundation would work with all parties to provide strong support for the development and construction of Confucius Classrooms. He hoped that the two universities would give full play to their respective advantages and sincerely cooperate, work together to consolidate the foundation of Chinese teaching, carrying out a variety of cultural activities, and striving to make positive contributions to the mutual understanding and friendship between the two countries. Li Wenhua, First Secretary of the Chinese Embassy in Belarus, sent a congratulatory letter on behalf of Ambassador Xie Xiaoyong.

The opening ceremony of Confucius Classroom was held online (Screenshot by Zhou Tianhong)

     Vice President Luo Jun, heads of International Cooperation and Exchange Office, Department of Foreign Languages and other related departments, President of Baranovich University of Belarus Vasily Kachulk, Vice President Vladimir Klimuk, heads of International Communication Office,  Department of Language and Germanic Languages, Department of Psychology, Department of Economics and Law attended the unveiling ceremony.

    After the ceremony, Chinese language learners from Baranovichi State University, students from the preparatory class and Qiao Wenjun, the Chinese dean of the Confucius Classroom, gave  a wonderful performance.

The unveiling ceremony

       The establishment of the Overseas Confucius Classroom is of great significance to the establishment of a world-class agricultural university and the benchmark construction of the "Belt and Road" initiative. In March 2020, our university and Baranovich University of Belarus officially signed a cooperation agreement and jointly set up the Confucius Classroom of Baranovich National University. In April 2020, Hanban, the former Confucius Institute Headquarters, officially approved our university to undertake the construction of the Confucius Classroom of Baranovich National University of Belarus. In order to improve the construction of the Confucius Institute, the University successively issued management measures and sent a Confucius Institute Director and two Chinese language teachers to Belarus to carry out work. The school will fully mobilize resources inside and outside the school, give full play to its characteristics and advantages, and launch various activities of Confucius Classroom, striving to turn the Confucius Classroom into an important platform for local teachers and students and the public to learn Chinese, learn about agriculture and learn about China, and contribute to the development of friendly relations between China and Belarus.