On January 24th local time, the Confucius Institute at the University of Sierra Leone was invited to attend the commencement ceremony of Sierra Leone’s Port of Queen Elizabeth II Quay in Freetown, the country’s capital. Ernest Bai Koroma, President of Sierra Leone and Wu Peng, Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone, along with over 300 other individuals from all walks of life attended the ceremony and watched the performance by the Tai Chi and Martial Arts Team of the Confucius Institute.
President Koroma expressed in his speech that he hopes this project will be taken as an opportunity so as to build Freetown into an international deep-water port, promote economic and trade development of Sierra Leone and create more jobs.
President Koroma watching the performance
Wu Peng said in his speech that with Sierra Leone’s response to China’s Belt and Road initiative, more and more Chinese enterprises would invest in the country and cooperation in all fields between both sides would move forward to a new level.
At the commencement ceremony, eight Tai Chi scholarship-holders were dressed identically and greeted the audience with Baoquan salute (a kind of Chinese greeting posture), inciting curiosity to the audience. Li Heng and Xiao Bei, the volunteer teachers of the Confucius Institute taught the students to integrate Tai Chi with Chinese martial arts and rehearsed Tai Chi boxing, Tai Chi fan, Tai Chi sword and other segments. These programs presented the neutral and harmonious spirit, the function of physical fitness and the unique artistic appreciation implied in martial arts and Tai Chi.
Tai Chi and Martial Arts Team performing
The audience present watched the traditional martial arts of China for the first time and were very curious about it. President Koroma applauded and highly praised the performance.
Tai Chi and Martial Arts Team performing Tai Chi boxing
The Confucius Institute at the University of Sierra Leone features martial arts and Tai Chi as school-running characteristics. By presenting shows, the institute expands the influence of the Confucius Institute and attracts more local people to learn about China through the practices, so as to promote cultural exchanges between China and Sierra Leone.
It is reported that the Port of Freetown QE II Quay Project was carried out by TIDFORE Group. The project includes port design, project engineering, relevant assembly, etc. The completion of the project will greatly promote the economic development of Sierra Leone and enhance the port’s infrastructure construction. (cited from Confucius Institute Headquarters, source: Confucius Institute at University of Sierra Leone, Story by Wu Zhenxiong)
