Prof. Dr. Kenneth Matengu, Vice Chancellor of UNAM,

Prof. Lin Shanyuan, Vice Chairman of the Council of China University of Geosciences (Beijing)

Dr. Liu Dianbo, Chinese Director of the Confucius Institute at UNAM,

Dear Principals,

Friends from the media,

Distinguished guests, teachers and students,

Good morning!

It’s my great pleasure and honor to join you for the celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the Confucius Institute at the University of Namibia.

First, I wish to extend my warmest congratulations to Vice Chancellor Matengu and Vice Chairman Lin for the fruitful cooperation between the UNAM and China University of Geosciences (Beijing) on this important project of the Confucius Institute.

I express my deep appreciation to Vice Chancellor Matengu and the UNAM for their valuable support to the operation of the Confucius Institute and critical contribution to its success. I also thank the Principals present today for their support of Chinese language learning.

The establishment of the Confucius Institute at UNAM was a milestone in the cultural and educational exchanges between China and Namibia, which has set up a new bridge to connect Chinese and Namibian people through the promotion of the Chinese language and culture learning.

Over the past 10 years, the Confucius Institute at UNAM has provided Chinese lessons for more than 6,700 Namibian students and organized more than 100 cultural events. Also, the Institute has established 15 Chinese teaching sites in various UNAM campuses and high or primary schools in various regions. This is indeed a remarkable achievement.

Since I became Chinese Ambassador nine months ago, I came across a lot of Namibian people who greeted me in Chinese whether attending some functions or even walking on the streets, and some of them spoke excellent Chinese, which made me feel very warm. You know when you are in a foreign country and suddenly hear a local person speaking your mother tongue, you will immediately feel at home. There is no doubt learning each other’s language brings us closer.  

Some Chinese-speaking Namibians told me they once studied in the Confucius Institute at UNAM, and they had fond memory of their experience with the teachers of the Institute. The devotion and hard-work of Dr. Liu Dianbo and his team are certainly paying off and I commend their efforts. Recently one of my Namibian friends told me that he plans to pick up Chinese language learning again at the Confucius Institute. As economic cooperation between our two countries becomes even closer, the need for Namibians to learn Chinese language also grows. So Dr. Liu, please be prepared for an increasing number of learners.

   In August, President Xi Jinping put forward China’s Plan for Supporting Africa’s Talent Development while addressing the China-Africa Leaders Dialogue. A couple of months ago, the China Association of Higher Education (CAHE) and the Association of African Universities (AAU) announced the establishment of a China-Africa Consortium of Universities Exchange Mechanism. I believe we are facing an important opportunity to deepen the educational cooperation between our two countries. UNAM, as always a forerunner in this area and with the Confucius Institute as the special connection, will have an even greater role to play in elevating China-Namibia educational cooperation to a new high.  

The 10th Anniversary of the Confucius Institute at UNAM has opened a new chapter and we have a long way to go. With the strong support of all our friends present here, we will certainly make even greater achievements in promoting Chinese language and cultural learning in Namibia.

In conclusion, I wish today’s event a great success and every one of you good health.

Thank you.