Confucius

A major Festival of Chinese Culture kicked off on Monday in Veliko Tarnovo, the medieval capital of Bulgaria, reports Xinhua. 

To encourage Chinese language learning and cultural exchanges with Bulgaria, the first Chinese singing contest was held in the country on Sunday, reports CGTN. 

As many as 17 solo performers and six groups from across Bulgaria participated in the event, which was organized by the Confucius Institute in Sofia.

Some 500 Bulgarians and Chinese on Saturday celebrated the upcoming Spring Festival by attending and applauding the gala show titled "Let's Share the Chinese New Year Together". 

"Is what is old new again?" A timeless question heralded the advent of the sixth annual Athens Democracy Forum, convened by The New York Times and aiming to dissect democracy's biggest challenges in its very birthplace.

China, that vast Asian country of Confucius, Mao and modern-day communist capitalism, is the centerpiece of this year's Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF), which got under way this weekend in Greece's second largest city.

"Between September 9 and 17, the center of Thessaloniki will be transformed into a mini-Chinatown," says Tasos Tzikas, president of TIF-Helexpo.

"When I assumed the position of director of Confucius Institute Ljubljana 6 years ago, I did not know what an important role the Faculty of Economics at the University of Ljubljana can play in incorporating Chinese language and culture across Slovenian kindergartens and universities, and bringing together local and business communities between China and Slovenia.

The Confucius Institute and Confucius classes contribute to the development of relations between the Chinese and Romanian peoples, Ambassador of China to Romania Xu Feihong declared on Thursday, while attending the official opening of the first Confucius class in Hunedoara city.

Photo credit: (c) MIHAI POZIUMSCHI / AGERPRES ARCHIVE

The Festival of Contemporary Chinese Cinema will take place in Bulgaria's capital between 6 and 13 February.

Everyone interested in the Chinese culture and arts will have the opportunity to watch all nine movies for free. The predominant genre of the selection is drama, but several thrillers and comedies can also be seen.

 Premier Li Keqiang writes about his visit’s purpose to consolidate friendship and open up new prospects in the two countries’ relationship

By Li Keqiang *