University marks birth of a master

Chinese dance, music, fashion and handicrafts feature in day of celebration

Pomp, color and fanfare filled the air as members of Kenyatta University's Confucius Institute, together with invited guests, celebrated 2015 Confucius Day at the institution's main campus along the Thika Super Highway in Nairobi last month.

The festival is observed every year in September worldwide by followers of the Chinese philosopher and scholar. It is believed Confucius was born on Sept 28, 551 BC.

Calligraphy, a demonstration of the use of chopsticks, paper cutting and a traditional Chinese fashion show were some of the activities staged at the university's Bishop's Square grounds.

Confucius Institute students performed a traditional Chinese dance. A music lecturer at the institute, Dong Qimin, played a song using a pipa, a four-stringed instrument. Ma Yulong, a martial arts instructor at the institute, guided his students in performing some moves, to the delight of the cheering audience.

Washington Ndiiri, chairman of the History and Archaeological Studies Department at Kenyatta University, represented the university's vice-chancellor, Professor Olive Mugenda, at the event and read out her prepared speech.

Mugenda's speech acknowledged the importance of the Confucius Institute to the university and its role in teaching both Chinese language and culture to students and staff. It congratulated the institute's students for a good performance and enthusiasm for Chinese traditions.

"Kenyatta University is happy to be associated with this great Chinese teacher and philosopher. In the university, we strive to relate with other cultures as much as possible, China being a good example. This year also marks seven fruitful years of our relationship with Confucius Institute headquarters, Hanban," she said.

The vice-chancellor also said that during the seven years of collaboration, Hanban had supported the Kenyatta University Confucius Institute with teaching resources, Chinese teachers and students by organizing frequent trips to China.

"The relationship is a reflection of the wider China-Kenya relationship that has mutually benefited both countries immensely. A case in point is the Thika Super Highway and the upcoming Kenyatta University Teaching, Research and Referral Hospital that we are building. Kenya is set to gain from the transfer of technical knowledge and the Chinese work ethic," Mugenda said.

The vice-chancellor assured Confucius Institute directors that the university's management would continue to support the activities of the institute to ensure it achieves its goals and objectives. The move, she said, would undoubtedly contribute to continued good relations between Kenya and China.

She also had some advice for younger students attending the event. "To the visiting primary and secondary schools, continue studying Chinese as a foreign language. This will help you in the future as you join the employment sector."

A teacher at Ruiru Fairview Academy who gave her name as Sylvia said she was delighted to be at the university for the 11th Confucius Day celebrations and that the pupils had an opportunity to learn a lot from the activities on offer.

"At this juncture I would like to mention the good work of the Confucius Institute Board that has been working tirelessly to support the two directors at the institute. The Chinese lecturers and volunteers also deserve a mention for their good work. We also have local Kenyan Chinese lecturers who have really encouraged our students and shown them that it is possible to master the Chinese language," Professor Kisovi from the university's geography department, says.

In Africa, the first Confucius Institute was set up in Kenya at the University of Nairobi in 2005. Tianjin Normal University was a partner with the university in setting up the institute, which offers courses in Chinese culture and language.

Since then, Kenyatta University, Egerton University and Moi University have teamed up with different Chinese universities to establish their own Confucius Institutes. Cameroon, Egypt, South Africa and Zambia are other African countries that have Confucius Institutes.

For China Daily

(China Daily Africa Weekly 10/09/2015 page23)