Peking University, Beijing, Nov. 13th, 2008: The Unveiling Ceremony of Confucius Institute of Moscow State University was held in the new library of Moscow State University on October 27, 2008. Liu Yandong, State Councilor of China and Prof. Victor Antonovich Sadovnichii, President of Moscow State University attended the ceremony and unveiled the brand together.

Also presented were Zhou Ji, Minister of China’s Ministry of Education, Liu Guchang, Chinese Ambassador to Russia, delegation of Peking University (PKU) in charged of Prof. Yang He, Vice Secretary of CPC PKU Committee, Prof. Ren Guangxuan, Dean of Confucius Institute of China, and Zhao Guocheng, Vice Director of the Office of Chinese Language Council International. The officers from Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Education of China, the media, and the representatives of teachers and students of Moscow State University attended as well.

The ceremony started with the melody of “Song of World University” sung by the Choir of Moscow State University. Prof. Sadovnichii reviewed the friendship between China and Russia and the good relationship between Moscow State University and PKU in his speech. He hoped that the Confucius Institute could enhance the cultural exchanges between the two countries, improve bilateral cooperation in education, and play an important role in the introduction of Chinese culture to Russia. Liu Yandong also recalled the friendship of the two countries, and she believed that the cooperation between China and Russia will not only benefit the people of the two countries, but also have significant impacts on the world peace and human progress. The institute will also provide a new platform for the Russian students to learn Chinese and for teachers to exchange language teaching experience. She said it was a symbol of the cooperation between the two prestigious universities, and it will improve the bilateral cooperation in education and enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the two countries.

Then the Russian President of the Confucius Institute of Moscow State University introduced the Chinese teaching situation and focused on the organizing work of setting up the Confucius Institute.  The ceremony ended successfully in the school song of Moscow State University.

After the unveiling ceremony, a meeting of the First Board of Directors of the Confucius Institute was held. Five directors from both PKU and Moscow State University attended the meeting. They decided to hold the Board of Directors meetings regularly and pay more attention to the supervision and audit the finance of the institute after a full discussion. As the Vice President of the board of directors, Prof. Liu He stressed in his speech that the operation of the institute must follow the rules of the Office of Chinese Language Council International and definitize the aim of the institute in order to have its own characteristic and gain more benefits.

MoscowState Universityand PKU signed an execution protocol on co-construct the Confucius Institute on September 6, 2007. PKU has already set up nine Confucius Institutes in eight countries and the Confucius Institute of Moscow State University was the eighth. The next one is in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) of India. Now the preparing work is going on actively.

Translated by: Su Juan

Edited by: Seren

Source: PKU News (Chinese)