Chinese calligraphy became a zest among many UN diplomats as a three-month-long United Nations Chinese Calligraphy Training Course concluded on Friday.

At the graduation ceremony and also a calligraphy exhibition held at the UN headquarters, Vijay Nambiar, UN secretary-general's special advisor on Myanmar, congratulated students in Chinese saying that it was "impressive" to see them attain great achievement in such a short time.

From April to June, about two dozens of UN diplomats and officials from countries of Egypt, Spain, Canada and Bolivia attended ten classes of Chinese calligraphy. The exhibition showcased the fine results of the course, which included works from simple strokes to Chinese phrases and idioms, and even poems.

Guy Forgues, a Canadian lieutenant colonel from the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operation, told the ceremony that he became more and more interested in Chinese calligraphy. In writing Chinese, one could feel "rhythm, harmony and tempo," which makes a simple Chinese character into a piece of art.

Pang Zhonghua, teacher of the course and a famous Chinese calligrapher, was excited about the fruit of his course and his relationship with students.

"I must thank all my students and friends for their enthusiasm, intelligence and perseverance. Despite the language barrier, we have become close friends," he said. "The ancient and classic art of Chinese calligraphy is not as 'sophisticated, unfathomable and ungraspable' as one may imagine. It can entirely be shared by humankind."