20260829 Under the Guidance of Confucius Institute in Sofia Teacher, Student Won Third Prize at the 25th 'Chinese Bridge' College Student Chinese Competition

On August 23, the Global Finals and Award Ceremony of the 25th 'Chinese Bridge' World Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students concluded in Xiamen, Fujian. A total of 157 contestants from 139 countries around the world competed on the same stage. 

After multiple rounds of fierce competition, Bulgarian contestant Kalina Gerginova was awarded the Global Third Prize. Zhang Kaiyue, a Chinese government-sponsored teacher from the Confucius Institute in Sofia, was named 'Outstanding Instructor'.

Kalina is a student majoring in Sinology at Sofia University. She has long dedicated herself to learning Chinese, continuously improving her language proficiency and comprehensive skills. During the preparation period, Confucius Institute teacher Zhang Kaiyue provided tailored guidance based on the contestant's individual traits, focusing on language expression, public speaking techniques, and talent presentation. The Confucius Institute in Sofia actively participates in the Chinese language teaching of the Faculty of Classical and Modern Philology at Sofia University, providing students with a diversified platform for Chinese language learning and practice through cultural activities and competition training.

In recent years, the Confucius Institute in Sofia has continuously played its role as a platform for Chinese language teaching and cultural exchange, contributing to cultivating more Bulgarian Chinese learners who understand and are friendly toward China, and enhancing local people's understanding of the Chinese language and culture.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the 'Chinese Bridge' brand. To date, the 'Chinese Bridge' series of Chinese proficiency competitions has covered more than 160 countries and regions, attracting over 1.8 million young people from overseas, and is hailed as the 'Olympics' of the global Chinese language.

Source: Confucius Institute in Sofia

Text: Zhang Kaiyue

Photos: “Chinese Bridge” organizing committee 

Reviewers: Chen Ying, Aksiniya Koleva, Ding Chen

English translation: Dima Pironkova