The first Confucius Institute in Honduras is inaugurated in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on May 26, 2025. Photo: CCTV

Commenting on the opening of the first Confucius Institute in Honduras, Honduran Ambassador to China Salvador Moncada told the Global Times on Tuesday that "we welcome this important step in connecting peoples through language."

The new institute was inaugurated in Honduras' capital city Tegucigalpa on Monday. It has been jointly established by the Francisco Morazán National Pedagogical University of Honduras (UPNFM) and Zhejiang International Studies University (ZISU) in East China's Zhejiang Province.

Moncada said that cultural ties bring understanding, and understanding breeds the possibility of building a more harmonious and more peaceful world.

"I hope that the Confucius Institute will not only become a beacon for imparting practical knowledge, but also a space for perception and growth, so that students can not only learn Chinese here, but also understand and learn the values of respect, harmony and persistence in Confucian culture. In this era that calls for more solidarity and bridges, let us then work together to build a more just future for humanistic care, shared happiness and prosperity," he said in a video clip shared with the Global Times. 

"Today, as the relationship between our two countries develops rapidly, all fields urgently need more talents who are proficient in Chinese and Western languages to promote exchanges and cooperation in this multicultural world," he noted.

Tao Guoxia, division head of International Exchanges and Cooperation of ZISU, told the Global Times on Tuesday that through the joint efforts of both sides, the institute can provide Honduran youths with greater access to education and opportunities to transform their futures.

The institute is scheduled to begin classes in September 2025. The initial teaching staff will consist of three members, offering Chinese language elective courses for local students, with an estimated enrollment of around 200, Tao noted.

In the future, the institute will establish more teaching sites to provide Chinese language learning opportunities for primary, secondary and university students. The two sides will jointly offer undergraduate and master's programs in international Chinese education. The institute will also serve as a bridge for cultural exchange, mutual learning between civilizations, mutual trust and collaborative support between the two countries, Tao added. 

Yu Bo, Chinese ambassador to Honduras, said at the inauguration ceremony that the successful inauguration of the first Confucius Institute in Honduras marks another milestone in the history of China-Honduras relations. 

It is not only a significant achievement in the two countries' diplomatic ties but also an important platform and bridge for cultural exchange between China and Honduras. The institute will help meet the local people's desire to learn Chinese and facilitate a deeper understanding of China, allowing the Honduran people to better know, comprehend and observe China, thereby bringing the hearts of the two peoples closer together, Yu said.

In March, the signing and plaque awarding ceremony for the Confucius Institute in Honduras was held in Beijing. This is the first Confucius Institute established in Honduras following the official establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Honduras on March 26, 2023. 

2024 marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Confucius Institute. As of October 2024, a total of 499 Confucius Institutes and 764 Confucius Classrooms have been established in 161 countries and regions. It has served over 20 million students, making it the world's largest and most influential language and cultural education organization, according to the China Education Daily.