Chinese and Australian teenagers sing for friendship

Guangdong Experimental Middle School Choir performance (photo by Xiangyu Guo)

SYDNEY, July 23 (People's Daily Online / Xiangyu Guo) On the evening of July 19, Chinese Consulate-General in Sydney held an Open Day to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and 40 years of friendship between Guangdong Province and New South Wales.

The Open Day coincided with 2019 Gondwana World Choral Festival in Sydney, where Guangdong Experimental Middle School Choir, Inner Mongolia Youth Choir, and Sydney Children’s Choir were invited to bring some performances to the audiences.

H.E. Gu Xiaojie, Consul-General of the People's Republic of China mentioned that there are more than 100 pairs sister-province/state and sister-city relations between China and Australia. Among them, the sister-province/state relations established between Guangdong Province and New South Wales in 1979 was the very first between the two countries.

“Over the years, the two sides have carried out close economic and trade cooperation and people-to-people exchanges and the two peoples have developed profound friendship,” he said, “The young people present today are the future of our two countries and envoys for China-Australia friendly relations. The singing performance is a great blessing for China-Australia friendship.”

Governor of New South Wales, Margaret Beazley said in her speech that the partnership between NSW and Guangdong Province does not only mutually beneficial economic relationship, but also a strong tie of artistic and culture relationship, friendship and exchange. She also mentioned that she has visited China many times and witnessed the great changes in China over the past decades.

On the Open Day, young singers of the Inner Mongolia Youth Choir, dressed in Mongolian costumes, danced and sang traditional Mongolian songs. They also played traditional ethnic instruments such as morin khuur.

The Guangdong Experimental Middle School Choir sang three songs, “Spring Is Coming”, “A Dream In My Heart” and “My Motherland and Me”. “These songs are cheerful and meaningful with full of Chinese characteristics. During our stay in Australia, teenagers from choirs of both countries interacted and competed friendly while gaining valuable friendship,” said Mr. Mingjing Xie, the conductor teacher of the school.

The Sydney Children’s Choir also appeared in Chinese dresses. Although there was only one short song, the melodious harmony was well received.