Students from Fiji pose for a group photo at the cultural experience event held by SDU (left). SDU's teachers and staff greet students from Fiji via a livestreaming video call. [Photo/sdu.edu.cn]

Shandong University held a livestreaming cultural experience event for students from Fiji at the Center for Research and Experience of Traditional Chinese Culture on April 20, the UN Chinese Language Day.

Themed on traditional etiquette, traditional costumes, and tea ceremony, the event includes various online sessions, such as demonstrations, observations, interpretations, and interactions, giving students a chance to participate.

During the event, students from Fiji were motivated to learn Chinese, and gained knowledge and understanding about traditional Chinese culture.

Fiji is the first country in South Pacific region to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China. The two countries have carried out cooperation in areas like economy, trade, and cultural and educational exchanges, said Wang Yanwei, deputy dean of SDU’s College of International Education (CIE).

As a high-level comprehensive university with a full range of disciplines, SDU looks forward to more Fijian students coming to SDU to study Chinese language, Wang added.

In 2010, the United Nations announced that April 20 is officially the UN Chinese Language Day. Since then, the Ministry of Education's Center for Language Education and Cooperation has carried out various celebration events with partners around the world on April 20.

The livestreaming cultural experience activity is part of SDU's event series to celebrate Chinese Language Day, which also marks the initial collaborative efforts between CIE and the relative Fijian institutions.