On September 14th, Jilin University Inaugurated the International Cultural Salon for Chinese and International Students in the hall on the first floor of the library in the Central Campus. The International Cultural Salon is jointly organized by the Division of International Relations, the School of International and Public Affairs, College of International Education and School of Foreign Language Education. It was designed to make Jilin University more internationalized, create an atmosphere conducive to foreign language learning for teachers and students and help international students to learn about and fit in in the Chinese culture. Vice President Chen Gang delivered a speech on behalf of the university and gave letters of appointment to instructing teachers for the International Cultural Salon. Attendees of the inauguration included hundreds of Chinese and international students and persons in charge from relevant departments such as the Publicity Office of the Jilin University Party Committee, Department of Student’s Affairs, Office of Graduate Management, Division of Undergraduate Education, Division of International Relations, Youth League Committee, library, School of International and Public Affairs, College of International Education, School of Foreign Language Education, School of International Chinese Language Education and College of Foreign Languages.
In his speech, Vice President Chen Gang thanked the Chinese and International students present for their enthusiasm and participation. He hoped that the International Cultural Salon could integrate good resources within and beyond the university to provide a platform of language and cultural exchanges for students and foreign teachers. Teachers and students could, via various themed exchange activities, broaden their horizon and improve their ability to engage in international dialogues.
Adam Matthew Woeltz, a student from the US studying in School of International and Public Affairs, and Fang Yuange from Studio English Association delivered speeches on behalf of international students and Chinese students respectively. They expressed their expectation for all the activities of International Cultural Salon and their hope to make more friends via this platform. Dong Anqi, a student from Economics School that had just come back from a summer internship program in the United Nations, shared her experience and feelings about overseas exchange as the first Chinese student in the internship program.
The International Cultural Salon will regularly hold themed activities with the participation of Chinese and international students of Jilin University, such as the International Cultural Festival, themed forums on international culture, week of national culture, symposium on hotspot international issues, foreign language corners, creative campus and experience sharing on students’ experience overseas. It will strengthen the exchanges between Chinese and international students, expand the global horizon of the vast number of students on campus and enhance the international competitiveness of Jilin University’s students.
The University appointed the following teachers, among others, as the instructing teachers of the International Cultural Salon: Yang Di from School of Foreign Language Education, You Xingbo from College of the Humanities, Chen Yue from School of International Chinese Language Education and Ian Stone and John Cowley, foreign teachers from School of Foreign Language Education. You Xingbo delivered a speech as the representative of instructing teachers. Towards the end, Chinese and international students presented performances with Chinese characteristics.
