“Hello, China” - Chinese Culture Entering Ethiopian Campus

Recently, CGGC Ethiopia Company organized the volunteer activities of China-invested enterprises in Ethiopia themed with “Hello, China - Chinese Culture Entering Ethiopian Campus” in Zoma Community Primary School in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, in partnership with China Foundation for Rural Development. Varieties of practical activities helped local students feel more about the unique charm of Chinese culture, building a platform for cultural exchange between China and Ethiopia.

Some leaders and officials attended relevant activities, including Yang Yihang, Minister Counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia, Debbebe, Senior Advisor on Social Protection to Ethiopian Minister of Women and Social Affairs, and Tissett, Policy Advisor to Ethiopian Minister of Women and Social Affairs.

Activities were kicked off with a Chinese song from local students.

In Chinese class, young volunteers vividly explained the history and evolution of Oracle Bone Inscriptions, helping local students form a preliminary understanding of the development of ancient Chinese characters. Students actively participated in the interaction and attempted to write Chinese characters and practice simple Chinese greetings, showing their strong interest in learning Chinese.

In martial arts class, volunteers showed students the Five Stances Form. Students earnestly studied basic movements of the Five Stances Form, and felt the strength and charm of Chinese martial arts. While carefully correcting their movement, volunteers popularized them with the knowledge about Chinese martial arts in simple terms, so that they can have deep insight into the essence of Chinese martial arts.

In Chinese gourmet preparation class, students cheered and applauded for marvelous flowers and pandas carved out of dough, eggplant and carrot. Volunteers introduced students the dumpling culture, guided them to knead dough, prepare stuffing and make dumplings. Students put dumplings they made on their hands and showed their achievements to volunteers and teachers, smiling and laughing.

This is the first time that students from Zoma Primary School have got access to and learned Chinese language, martial arts and gourmet preparation in campus. Principal of Zoma Primary School Ms. Meskira noted that, “for years, both the school and parents have hoped to create opportunities for students to get access to and learn Chinese language, history and culture in campus, but it had not been realized. The activities impressed me a lot and I hope volunteers from China-invested enterprises could often communicate and interact with students in Zoma Primary School.”

According to the principal of CGGC Ethiopia Company, CGGC Ethiopia Company has always actively fulfilled its social responsibilities. Its young employees actively organized and participated in the activities, bringing local students diversified Chinese culture experience courses by means of gourmet preparation, Chinese character teaching and martial arts practice. These activities not only helped students feel the unique charm of Chinese culture, aroused their interest in Chinese culture and enhance their understanding of Chinese culture, but also promoted the establishment of profound friendship between the two sides, enhanced the people-to-people bond between the two countries, facilitated the integration of China-invested enterprises into local communities, and improved the social influence of China-invested enterprises in Ethiopia.

Serving the Ethiopian market for over two decades, CGGC has always been devoted to improving local infrastructure and people’s living standards through construction and investment, and actively fulfilled its overseas social responsibilities as a China-invested enterprise. CGGC vigorously empowers local social development by building Hope Primary Schools locally, donating drinking water for local villagers, providing training on knowledge about sewage treatment for local water supplies bureau, organizing the International Solar Energy Lamp Education-aid Program, donating schoolbags to students in remote areas in Ethiopia, etc. All these efforts help CGGC foster a responsible and caring image there.