Slovenia celebrates Chinese Language Day with cultural program

Members of the Association of Chinese Women in Slovenia dance during an event celebrating the United Nations Chinese Language Day in Ljubljana, Slovenia, April 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhou Yue)

LJUBLJANA, April 20 (Xinhua) -- The Slovenian Confucius Institute and the Ethnographic Museum collaborated to host a celebration of the United Nations' Chinese Language Day on Saturday.

The program, which took place in front of the museum in the center of Ljubljana, was opened by welcoming addresses in Slovenian, English, and Chinese, made by the Slovenian and Chinese directors of the Confucius Institute, Danijela Voljc and Lu Tingyao.

The Association of Chinese Women in Slovenia presented a traditional Chinese dance, followed by a presentation of traditional Chinese costumes by Chinese children living in Slovenia. The program ended with a Tai Chi performance by Master Zhou.

Voljc emphasized the significance of celebrating Chinese culture as a means to learn about and appreciate diverse cultures.

Over a hundred attendees also enjoyed complimentary access to the museum's exhibition, featuring artifacts from various countries, including traditional Chinese attire and furniture.

Voljc highlighted the efforts to disseminate knowledge of Chinese language and culture through Confucius classrooms, with over 700 Slovene children currently enrolled across the country's five largest cities.

The museum is gearing up for a special exhibition featuring several Chinese artifacts collected over a century ago by Slovenian navy officer Ivan Skusek during his stay in China between 1914 and 1920.

Skusek's collection, donated to the museum in 1963, includes a wooden model of an ancient Chinese gate assembled by Chinese experts last year. This exhibition, set to open on May 23 for a year-long duration, will prominently feature the gate as its centerpiece.