The awards ceremony for the 20th "Chinese Bridge" competition was held in Beijing on Monday,as part of the International Chinese Education Week 2021. Photo: Courtesy of Shi An

The awards ceremony for the 20th "Chinese Bridge" competition was held in Beijing on Monday to promote cultural exchanges among young people across the world.

"Over the past 20 years, the project has covered more than 160 countries, with more than 1.5 million young university and middle school students taking part in the competitions," Huai Jinpeng, Minister of Education of China, said in a speech during the ceremony held at the Communication University of China.

Chinese Bridge is an international competition aimed at inviting non-Chinese university students around the world who are interested in Chinese culture to compete against each other with the aim of increasing their Chinese language proficiency. It is a platform where they can demonstrate their knowledge of Chinese language and culture while also learning from each other as well.

"There are moments that can be really unforgettable at each competition," Hai Xia, a host on China Central Television (CCTV) who has also served as a judge for the Chinese Bridge competitions for the past two decades. 

The awards ceremony was held as part of the International Chinese Education Week 2021, which kicked off on December 13 and is being held by China's Center for Language Education and Cooperation. The award ceremony was attended by university leaders, organization representatives and ambassadors of many countries in  the world.

The awards ceremony for the 20th "Chinese Bridge" competition was held in Beijing on Monday,as part of the International Chinese Education Week 2021. Photo: Courtesy of Shi An

The Outstanding Contribution Awards were announced for contributors to the competition over the past 20 years. A total of 20 contestants, 20 teachers and 20 organizations around the world were awarded.

"Young people from all over the world embarked on the 'Chinese Bridge' journey to appreciate and experience the beauty of the country and the beauty of the language and culture. They were able to witness China's progress and prosperity openness and inclusiveness, peace and stability. Through this project, I hope we can introduce China to the world, spread the voice of China, and make joint efforts to promote cultural exchanges and friendship betweenChina and the other countries," said Huai. 

In the coming years, "Chinese Bridge" is preparing to launch more Chinese competitions for elementary school students around the world to support younger learners, and implement more language learning programs for Generation Z, especially teenagers.

Global Times