Peking University, Oct. 31, 2014: On October 25th, the opening ceremony of the Peking University International Cultural Festival 2014 was held in the north square of the Khoo Teck Puat Gymnasium. The slogan of this year’s festival was “novel, enthusiastic and wide”. International students from over 58 countries and regions, as well as Chinese students, actively participated in this annual campus event.

PKU President, Wang Enge, and other distinguished guests, including Zhao Lingshan, Deputy Director of Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges of the Ministry of Education and Wang Shenggang, Deputy Secretary of the China Scholarship Council (CSC), etc., attended the opening ceremony. 7 ambassadors to China, such as the Ecuadorian Ambassador, José. M. Borja and the Ghanaian Ambassador, Anani Okuminyi Demuyakor, as well as over 20 international alumni, took part in a series of festival activities.

Guests at the opening ceremony of the International Cultural Festival

During the ceremony, Guan Hongyu, a Chinese undergraduate from Yuanpei College and Yu Yanping, an international student from Turkey delivered addresses as student representatives. Guan said that, three years ago his first taste of the PKU International Cultural Festival and the inclusive, open atmosphere of the university had left him with a strong impression. Yu Yanping thanked the university for providing opportunities for effective cross-cultural exchanges between the international students and the Chinese students as well as their efforts to broaden the students’ understanding of different cultures.

International and Chinese students in the exhibition area

In the exhibition area, students from different countries and regions had set up their display booths the night before the opening ceremony. Visitors could wear colorful ethnic costumes and take pictures with the international students who were also dressed in the traditional costumes of their motherlands. Tasty exotic snacks were also available for all the visitors. In some display stands, students had organized quiz games in order to present the highlights of their own cultures through interaction with the visitors.

Written by: Li Xiaowei
Edited by: Chen Jiayu
Source: Office of International Relations, Peking University