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On May 28, the Confucius Institute at the University of Latvia received a letter of commendation from the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, saying that the Confucius Institute has made important contributions to promoting Chinese language and culture as well as advancing Sino-Latvian relations. Chinese director Professor Shang Quanyu and Latvian director Professor Peteris Pildegovics join hands to increase the number of Chinese teaching bases in Latvia from four to 16 and the number of Confucius classrooms from one to four, which will greatly popularize Chinese teaching across the whole of Latvia.
Photos of Chinese director Professor Shang Quanyu (left) and Latvian director Professor Peteris Pildegovics (right)
The Confucius Institute at the University of Latvia was founded in November 2011, co-established by South China Normal University (SCNU) and the University of Latvia. It is the only authorized organization for Chinese language training and Chinese culture research from the People’s Republic of China in Latvia. Chinese director Shang Quanyu is a professor from South China Normal University (SCNU), and the 80-year-old Latvian director Professor Peteris Pildegovics is among the first batch of Latvian Sinologists who acted as diplomats to China. Mr. Pildegovics, who once worked as a journalist for Xinhua News Agency, has an intimate understanding of Chinese agriculture, medicine, economy, livelihood, etc. After eight years of hard work, his monumental work, the first Chinese-Latvian Dictionary, was awarded the "Special Book Award of China" in 2016. In the same year, he was also awarded the title of "Global Confucius Institute Advanced Individual".
With the efforts of all parties, especially in close and sincere cooperation between the Chinese and Latvian directors, the Confucius Institute at the University of Latvia has not only become an important platform for Latvians to learn Chinese, but also serves as a bridge for spreading Chinese culture, a window to understand China, and a link to connect non-governmental exchange between the two countries. It has become a shining star along the Belt and Road initiative, making important contributions to promoting people-to-people connection, cultural exchange and friendship between the peoples of China and Latvia.
Students at the Confucius Institute at the University of Latvia made creative Chinese cultural plates.
The original version of the commendation letter
The translation is as follows:
Letter to the Confucius Institute at University of Latvia, The relationship between Latvia and China has been developing steadily and healthily, witnessing active political dialogue, frequent high-level visits and increased educational and cultural cooperation. Chinese director Professor Shang Quanyu and Latvian director Professor Peteris Pildegovics have both made important contributions in that regard. In the past four years, Professor Shang Quanyu and Professor Peteris Pildegovics have established trust, worked closely together to popularize Chinese teaching across the whole of Latvia, increase the number of Chinese teaching bases in Latvia from four to 16, and the number of Confucius classrooms from one to four. With the unremitting efforts of the two directors, the Confucius Institute has not only become an important platform for Latvians to learn Chinese, but also a window for Latvians to understand ancient China and modern China. It has made great contribution to promoting Sino-Latvian non-governmental exchanges and the relation between China and Latvia. The Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs hereby expresses deep appreciation and support to the Confucius Institute at the University of Latvia and looks forward to seeing an increasingly enhanced Confucius Institute at the University of Latvia. |
Source from Confucius Institute Administration Office
Translated by Li Jianru
Proofread by Edwin Baak
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