Peking University, Oct. 30, 2012: Peking University international cultural festival 2012 was held successfully on Sunday, Oct. 28. This is the 9th international cultural festival held at PKU. The theme for this year was “A Better Society for All: Sharing the Global Dream”, which aimed at public services. Students from as many as 69 countries and regions set up booths this time. Meanwhile, more than 300 student volunteers were at service.
Zhou Qifeng, President of Peking University (PKU), congratulated the opening of Peking University International Cultural Festival and welcomed all guests from home and abroad. He said that the PKU International Cultural Festival has become a brand activity since 2004.
“The number of students who study abroad has increased continuously these years, which made a great contribution to spread Chinese culture and further promote the blend of different cultures”, said Mr. Chen Yinhui, deputy director of International Cooperation and Exchange Department. Ms. Yang Xinyu, deputy secretary-general of National Scholarship Council, addressed that the theme of this festival embodied distinctive characteristics of the times, which is full of vigor and vitality. She wishes the festival would complete successfully.
As Iceland ambassador and also an alumnus of Peking University, Mr. Ragnar Baldursson, looked back upon his life at PKU and expressed his surprise at the changes taken place in Beijing. He stressed that the International Cultural Festival should be held as a tradition of Peking University. The representative of foreign students Wu Jun said that the festival enriched their lives in China and they would devote themselves to it. Liu Zhengchen, a PKU graduate and also director of New Sun Charitable Foundation, introduced the growing progress of the foundation and the achievement it had made.
Zhou Qifeng delivered the festival flag to Wu Jun, and declared the opening of the Peking University International Cultural Festival 2012.
During the garden party of the day, thousands of people had taken part in the various activities. You could take a picture with a “kangaroo” from Australia, or get a tattoo of national flag of UK on your face.
And foods from all over the world were also provided. Whether you enjoy biscuit from U.K. or appreciate a special kind of vinegar from South Korea, you could all find them there.
“I can know amorous feelings of such a lot of countries and make more foreign friends. What’ s more, it makes our lives colorful,” said Li Mo from the Department of History.
When asked if there’s anything can be improved for this activity, James, a sophomore from South Korea, said “there’re a lot of people here, a lot of people from other countries, I think it is pretty meaningful. But I found nothing different compared with last year. Though lots of people here, most people are from our school, Peking University. There’re just few people outside. We should attract more people here and let them experience different cultures.”
The garden party lasted for a whole day.
Reported by: Dui Yanjin, Guo Caichen
Photo：Dui Yanjin, Guo Caichen
