XXIII "Chinese Bridge" International Chinese Language Competition

This year's XXIII "Chinese Bridge" International Chinese Language Competition is a great opportunity for students from all over the world to showcase their Chinese language and cultural skills. The event on 24 May aimed to provide young Chinese language learners with an opportunity to deepen their knowledge and understanding of Chinese culture. This year, the event was hosted by the Confucius Institute of the University of Pécs, and was held at the Littke Palace Visitor Centre. The event was co-organised by ELTE, the University of Szeged, the University of Miskolc and the Confucius Institute of the University of Debrecen.

Through the preparation and the competition, participants will not only hone their language skills, but also gain a deeper insight into Chinese culture, helping to strengthen understanding and friendship between the two cultures. The theme of this year's competition is "One World, One Family" (中文主题：天下一家), which emphasises global togetherness and unity.

"The "Chinese Bridge" language competition is a major international competition sponsored by Hanban, which offers foreign language learners the opportunity to compete in three categories: the "Chinese Bridge" language competition for foreign students, the "Chinese Bridge" language competition for foreign high school students, and the "Chinese Bridge" language competition for foreign students studying in China. The competitions, which are becoming increasingly popular worldwide, are held annually in around 20 countries, with the finals taking place in China. As the contest involves presentations, a deeper knowledge of Chinese culture is an essential element of the competition. Students who win the competition will receive a generous scholarship to study in China, among other valuable prizes. Our institute is committed to preparing enterprising students at both secondary school and university level," according to the UP Faculty of Health Sciences Confucius Institute website. 

At the opening ceremony of the competition, China's Ambassador to Hungary, Gong Tao, emphasised the importance of China-Hungary relations and language learning in his welcoming speech. "Language is a means of communication, but also a bridge of mutual understanding. Learning about each other's language, history and culture promotes mutual understanding and kinship between the two peoples, and also contributes to building a common human destiny. I am glad that Chinese is becoming increasingly popular among Hungarians." He further stressed that the "Chinese Bridge" competition not only develops language skills, but also broadens the cultural horizons of the participants, contributing to more harmonious international cooperation.

József Betlehem, Vice-Rector for General Affairs, Connections and Strategic Affairs at the University of Pécs, said, "When the Confucius Institute was opened at the University of Pécs almost ten years ago, the leaders of the time also talked about building bridges. I am glad that His Excellency mentioned bridges again because if several bridges are built at the same time, more people will be able to cross this bridge much faster, to the joy and success of all of us."

During his stay, Ambassador Gong Tao met with the university's management at the Knowledge Centre, where he donated books on China and Chinese culture to our university. Afterward, the Ambassador also visited the Confucius Institute, where he learned about the work and activities of the Institute. "In ancient times, the Silk Road was very popular, and today it is the Chinese Language Road. I hope that more and more of my Hungarian friends will follow the ideals of the "Chinese Bridge" and "One World, One Family" and become ambassadors for promoting friendship between the two nations." - said the Ambassador.

The competition allowed students to test their skills in a variety of categories, including cultural history and art demonstrations. At the end of the event, the best finalists will receive valuable prizes and scholarship opportunities to further their Chinese language and cultural studies. 

The result of the competition:
1st place:
József Puskás (SZTE Confucius Institute)

2nd place:
Zsófia Döme (PTE ETK HKO Confucius Institute)
Adrienn Zoller (SZTE Confucius Institute)

3rd place:
Enikő Varga(Confucius Institute, University of Miskolc)
Miklós Sebeszta (ELTE Confucius Institute)
Abigél Kota (University of Debrecen Confucius Institute)

The importance of the international "Chinese Bridge" competition is growing every year, attracting more and more young people, demonstrating the growing global interest and commitment to Chinese language and culture.

For more information, visit the Chinese Bridge International Chinese Language Competition Facebook and YouTube channels. 

Written by Mercédesz Kovács-Csincsák