The Confucius Institute in Sofia Have Conducted the “You And Me Discussing Chinese Culture” 2024 Series Of Lectures

On 4th October 2024, a series of lectures named “You And Me Discussing Chinese Culture” have been held in the Academic Hall of the Confucius Institute in Sofia as part of the celebrations of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between PR China and R Bulgaria, the 20th anniversary of the Confucius Institutes, the National Day of China, and the Global Confucius Institutes Day.
Mrs Aksiniya Koleva – the Bulgarian director of the Confucius Institute in Sofia, has been the moderator of the three lectures. Prof. Chen Ying - the Chinese director of the Confucius Institute in Sofia, Mrs Tanya Michaylova – the Director of the Diplomatic Institute at the Ministry of the Exterior, and Prof. Nako Stefanov – an expert at the Center For Oriental Languages And Cultures at the University of Sofia, have been among the lecturers.
With the title of “Sino-Bulgarian Educational Exchanges - Development of Bulgarian Studies in China”, director Chen Ying has introduced the beginning of educational exchanges between China and Bulgaria, the establishment of Chinese and Bulgarian studies in the two countries, and the important achievements made by the Chinese universities specialising in Bulgarian studies since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Bulgaria over the past 75 years, and especially since the implementation of the “Belt and Road Initiative” and the ”China-CEEC Cooperation” mechanisms. Since the launch of the latter two, Chinese universities specialising in Bulgarian studies have made important achievements in terms of number of students, talent cultivation and disciplinary innovations and reforms. Mrs Tanya Michaylova - Director of the Diplomatic Institute of Bulgaria, has given a lecture entitled “The Cultural Dimensions In the Chinese Diplomacy And Foreign Policy” explaining the influence of traditional Chinese cultural elements in China's foreign policy. In particular, she emphasized on the influence and the role of the Chinese “peaceful diplomacy” and China's Global Civilisation Initiative for international diplomacy. In his lecture named “The Buddhism Of China - Past, Present And Future”, Prof. Nako Stefanov from the University of Sofia has elaborated on the development of Buddhism in China from the point of view of religion and culture, its organisational structure, development and participation in the activities of international Buddhist organisations, as well as on the development of the Buddhist community in China. Each lecture has been followed by a question-and-answer session in which students have actively asked questions and have had lively discussions.
The lectures have focussed entirely on the latest research achievements of the three experts in their relevant fields, aiming to provide a broader academic exchange platform for Chinese language learners, Chinese culture enthusiasts and experts in Chinese studies in Bulgaria. Moreover, the lectures have aimed to encourage the strengthening of the future exchanges and the cooperation between the two nations, as well as to provoke the audience to pay bigger attention to the development achievements of contemporary China.
Nearly 70 people, including experts and doctoral students from the University of Sofia and the Trakia University in Stara Zagora, experts from the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, teachers and students from the teaching centers under the Confucius Institute in Sofia, and people from the general public have attended the lectures. The Mudan Municipality of the city of Heze in Shandong Province have presented the lectures with peony brush paintings.
Confucius Institute in Sofia
Text: Prof. Chen Ying
Photos: Prof. Chen Ying
Editor: Aksiniya Koleva
English translation: Maya Kostadinova

Picture 1. Lecture by Prof Chen Ying from the Confucius Institute in Sofia.

Picture 2. Lecture by Mrs Tanya Michaylova from the the Diplomatic Institute.

Picture 3. Lecture by Prof. Nico Stefanov from the University of Sofia.

Picture 4. The academic hall during the lectures.

Picture 5. The paintings presented to the lecturers from the Mudan Municipality in the city of Heze, Shandong Province.