The Confucius Institute at the University of Liberia on Tuesday May 28, 2019, commemorated its 10th anniversary in the auditorium of the Capitol Hill campus of the university.

The Institute was established at the University of Liberia in 2008 to teach Liberian students Chinese Language and Culture. The school is hosted in the Graduate School Building on the Capitol Hill Campus. The institute is headed by Prof. Dexter Sumo as Director and Mr. Liu Xiaohui as co-director.

Celebration of the institute’s anniversary was held as part of series of events the UL is observing to mark its Centennial Commencement Convocation slated for December. The event was characterized by series of intellectual and cultural display, including a lecture on “Chinese Traditional Medicine and “Chinese Bridge,” referred to as Chinese Proficiency Competition in Liberia.”

Student Rancy Emmanuel Bondo of the UL Confucius Institute, who travelled to China following his graduation, was declared winner. He is expected to travel to China for further studies.

Dr. Ding Yuxin, in his presentation highlighted the use and importance of acupuncture with practical demonstration on senior UL Administrators, including UL President, Dr. Ophelia Inez Weeks, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. William Ezra Allen and the Acting Director for UL Graduate School, Prof. Francis Marweah.

Speaking at the celebration, UL President, Dr. Ophelia Inez Weeks, lauded the People’s Republic of China for their continuous support to the university. Dr. Weeks recounted the huge donation made for the construction of the UL Fendall Campus by the Chinese Government as key in improving learning condition at the state-run university of higher learning.  Dr. Weeks described the partnership between the Confucius Institute and UL as cardinal in the development of UL students.

“Confucius Institute has provided opportunities for many of our students here. They have given so many of our students the opportunity to acquire foreign study in China and as a result, [they] returned home and helped to improve this university,” she noted.

She said the UL recognizes the work of the Confucius Institute as being of great importance to the country.

Dr. Weeks assured the Confucius Institute faculty of her administration willingness to expand a learning module that was started by Confucius Institute.

For his part, Chinese Ambassador to Liberia, FU Jijun, said culture and education play important role in maintaining world peace. “Education and culture can play a big role for a better world, which is as important as the role played by economy, science and technology,” he observed.

Ambassador Jijun urged countries to work together in preserving global peace. “Instability and uncertainties are mounting, and the global challenges faced by the globe are becoming even more daunting, which called for joint response from countries around the world to meet the common challenges and create a better future for all,” the Chinese diplomat said.

Ambassador Jijun: “I appeal to the Government of Liberia, political parties, NGOs and all Liberian people to cherish your hard-earned fragile peace, to respect and trust each other, to make concerted efforts for safeguarding peace.”