Bangor University’s Confucius Institute celebrates Chinese New Year 2014
February opened with an explosion of activity at the University’s Confucius Institute with a colourful celebration of Chinese New Year 2014: the Year of the Horse. On Saturday 1st, members of the public were invited to drop-in to the Pontio Shop on Bangor’s High Street to paint Chinese opera masks; a fantastically popular workshop that was followed by a dazzling lion dance in the centre of town, and an afternoon of Chinese culture at Gwynedd Museum and Art Gallery with traditional Chinese music played to accompany an exhibition of drawings by artist Mervyn Rowe, China Sketchbook. Cultural workshops were also delivered to four local schools – Ysgol Friars (Bangor), Ysgol Dyffryn Ogwen (Bethesda), Ysgol y Bont (Llangefni), Ysgol Pen y Bryn (Colwyn Bay) – with all sorts of activities on offer from Chinese dancing to calligraphy, Mandarin lessons to martial arts.
The take-up for Chinese language and cultural provision has been outstanding this year with schools as far as Denbigh and Wrexham – as well as those more local to Bangor – benefiting from the wide variety of opportunities on offer, and Bangor’s Confucius Institute has received immense local support – both from within the University and outside in the wider community.
Work continues to promote Chinese language and culture with a fresh programme of activity for 2014 including the launch, in September, of a new LLB Degree in Law with Chinese Studies; a forum (Why China? How China?) dedicated to business development in April; involvement in the Wales International Harp Festival (also April); and collaboration with Treborth Botanic Garden to develop a Chinese garden in Bangor. The Institute’s outreach activity also continues with Mandarin lessons, visits to schools across the region and public events including art exhibitions, music performances and a second Kite Festival in summer.
Visit our 'What's on' page for more information about upcoming events.
Publication date: 1 February 2014