Students From the Confucius Institute In Sofia Have Participated In the 2024 Sing And Learn Chinese - Singing In Chengdu Study Camp

From August 26th to September 4th 2024, Ms Mariana Zagorska from the Confucius Classroom at The Maxim Gorky Secondary School in Stara Zagora and Ms Raya Koeva from the Confucius Classroom at the Southwest University in Blagoevgrad have participated in the 2024 Sing And Learn Chinese - Singing in Chengdu Study Camp organised by the Center For Language Education And Cooperation at the Ministry Of Education of China. A total of twenty-one students from thirteen countries including Bulgaria, the United States, Russia, Thailand and Madagascar, have taken part in the study camp.
This event has been an immersive musical experience which has helped the participants to consolidate their Chinese language learning with the understanding of the traditional Chinese music and the Chinese culture. The participants have learned Chinese poetry and how to play guqin. Furthermore, they have taken part in the Yulin Folk Music Season. Moreover, they have meticulously prepared themselves for the end-of-camp sing-along party, practicing Chinese songs such as ‘Chengdu’, ‘The Moon Represents My Heart’, and ‘Big Fish’, singing about their own love for China. In addition, the group have visited the Du Fu Thatched Village, the Sanxing Archeological Museum, the Chengdu Panda Breeding Research Center and other places so as to get a first-hand experience of the natural conditions and the social customs of Chengdu.
Ms Mariana Zagorska - a 12th-grade student from the Confucius Classroom at the Maxim Gorky Secondary School, has won the first prize in the team category of the Chinese Song Contest 2023, and the best Chinese music video visual effect as well as best popularity awards in the global call for entries for Chinese music videos Singing To Learn Chinese in 2023 at the Confucius Institute in Sofia. She has performed her songs in many events of the Confucius Institute in Sofia. Ms Raya Koeva - a student from the Confucius Classroom at the Southwest University, has participated in the first and the fifth editions of the The Rose Melodies Chinese Song Competition organized by the Confucius Institute in Sofia and has won the third prize in both contests. She has also participated in cultural activities on behalf of the Confucius Institute in Sofia for a number of times.
The students have benefited greatly from this study tour. They have not only accumulated enormous volume of knowledge about music and culture, but have also gained a deeper understanding of the developmental achievements of contemporary China.

The Confucius Institute in Sofia
Text: Pan Xixi
Photos: Mariana Zagorska
Editors: Prof. Chen Ying, Aksiniya Koleva, Chen Chen
English translation: Maya Kostadinova

Picture 1. Ms Mariana Zagorska (the first one from the left) has been the host of the closing sing-alone party.

Picture 2. Ms Raya Koeva (the second one from the left) has been deeply engaged in learning Chinese songs.

Picture 3. The participants visiting the Chengdu Du Fu Thatched Cottage.