China-Africa Cultural Exchanges and Mutual Learning Conference Held

Written byWang Zhiyong

Edited byXiang Runyuan

Translated by Li Wenqiang, Huang Can

Source: School of ForeignStudies

From August 12 to 15, Xiangtan University, in conjunction with Makerere University of Uganda, held “China-Africa Cultural Exchanges and Mutual Learning” Conference. Approximately 200 experts, scholars, and institutional leaders from nearly 20 universities and research institutions in China and Uganda shared views and held discussions on the practice of building a China-Africa and China-Uganda community with a shared future.

At the opening ceremony, Zhang Lizhong, Chinese Ambassador to Uganda, reviewed the fruitful cooperation outcomes between China and Uganda in the fields of education and culture, medical and health care, capacity training, and tourism. He stated that China is ready to continue strengthening strategic synergy with Uganda, deepen cultural exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations, and join hands to build a high-level China-Africa and China-Uganda community with a shared future.

Pan Biling,president of Xiangtan University, delivered a speech via video. He said that Xiangtan University has played an important role in China-Africa and China-Uganda trade, cultural exchange, and cooperation in science and education. He also expressed confidence that China and Africa will achieve more cooperative outcomes on a range of issues of common concern to humanity, including poverty reduction, well-being improvement, environmental protection, curbing hegemonism, and preserving civilizational diversity.

Buyinza Mukadasi, representative of the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University and Vice Chairperson of the University’s Academic Council, spoke highly of the significant contributions made by the Confucius Institute at Makerere University over the past decade in promoting China-Africa cultural exchanges and academic cooperation. He expressed his hope that in-depth discussions at the symposium would deepen the understanding of Chinese and Ugandan scholars, teachers and students on the significance of China-Africa cultural exchanges.

At theconference, Engineer Sooma Ayub, Head of the Civil Aviation Authority and Aviation Safety of Uganda, Professor Yang Jincai from Nanjing University, Professor Zhang Hairong from Hohai University, Gilbert Gumoshabe, Head of the Department of African Linguistics at the Faculty of Humanities of Makerere University and Ugandan Director of the Confucius Institute at Makerere University, Associate Professor Yang Weichun from Xiangtan University, Oswald K. Ndoleriire, President of Luyanzi Institute of Technology and Adjunct Professor of Kabale University, and Professor Zhu Zhenwu from Shanghai Normal University delivered keynote speeches one after another. Focusing on themes including China-Africa people-to-people exchanges, African literature research, China-Africa educational cooperation, and the development of Confucius Institutes in Africa under the background of the Belt and Road Initiative, the speakers comprehensively summarized the history and achievements of China-Africa cultural exchanges and mutual learning, and looked forward to the directions and prospects for further China-Africa cooperation from an interdisciplinary and cross-cultural perspective.

Participants also held panel discussions on topics including “Globalization and Contemporary African Literary Studies,” “Mutual Learning Between Chinese and African Civilizations and Economic and Trade Cooperation,” and “People-to-People Exchange Between China and Africa and Chinese Language Education in Africa.”