The Peter Bogdan Foreign Languages High School In Montana Associated To the Confucius Institute In Sofia, Has Carried Out Its First Festival Of the Chinese And the Bulgarian Culture Combined With the 2024 Chinese New Year Celebration

On 20th January, 2024 the Peter Bogdan Foreign Languages High School In Montana has celebrated its first edition of the Chinese and the Bulgarian Culture Festival together with the 2024 Chinese New Year Celebration to mark the first anniversary of its Chinese language programme under the leadership of the Confucius Institute in Sofia. The event went under the slogan Togetherness in sharing the cultural experience. The event was attended by Mrs Aksinia Koleva – the Bulgarian director of the Confucius Institute in Sofia, Mr Liu Xiuming - the Chinese director of the Confucius Institute in Sofia, Mrs Maria Boncheva – the Headmaster of the Peter Bogdan Foreign Languages High School in Montana, by teachers and volunteers from the Confucius Institute in Sofia, by local teachers and high schoolers along with more than 300 residents from the local community.

 Mrs Maria Boncheva, the headmaster of the school, has thoroughly affirmed the gratifying achievements of the Chinese language teaching in her school during the past year, and has expressed her hope to continue to maintain long-term cooperation with the Confucius Institute in Sofia. Mrs Aksinia Koleva - the Bulgarian director of the Confucius Institute in Sofia, has made a summary of the history of the cultural exchange between China and Bulgaria. Her particular focus has been on the significance and the importance of the cultural exchange between the two nations. Mrs Koleva has briefly informed the audience about the history of the Confucius Institute in Sofia and its steady development. She has expressed her hope that the students could learn more about the Chinese language and culture, and could contribute to the mutual learning and the appreciation of both cultures – the Chinese and the Bulgarian ones.

  The event comprised of three parts: a cultural performance, an award presentation and a cultural workshop. Teachers and students from China and Bulgaria have meticulously performed traditional songs and dances, musical instruments, martial arts performances, a poetry recitation and other exciting cultural performances, showing the Chinese traditional arts in various cultural backgrounds. The opening dance Flower blooms has been a vigorous and bold one. The Chinese song A brunch of blooming plum blossoms has been a melodious and enchanting one. The Bulgarian song A maiden visited her garden has been a very jolly and lively one. The Chinese classical dance featuring silk fans Moonlit scrolls has been gentle and elegant, and the Bulgarian traditional dance The Pastrina mountain has been overflowing with passion and enthusiasm. The tune White and blue porcelain performed on guqin displayed the beauty of the misty rains in the lands to the south of the Yangtze River. The Yao dance tune performed on liuqin has been fast-paced and unparalleled in its unique vibes.

 The Wing Chun performance by the local Wushu Club in Montana has been a visual fusion of elegance and strength with the naturally flowing softness of its movements. The poem Farewell to Cambridge again recited by students has been enthusiastic and inspiring poetry moment. The crowning performance has been that of the Bulgarian pop song Together which has been really heart-warming. In the end, the guests and the audience danced together in the rhythm of the Bulgarian traditional dances to bring the celebration to its end.

 Aiming to stimulate the enthusiasm for learning of the students, to acknowledge the excelling students and to set an example, the event continued with an award presentation session. Certificates and prizes have been awarded to the students and staff of the school who had achieved excellent results in learning Chinese and to those who have passed the HSK exams.

 The Chinese teachers and volunteers at the Confucius Institute in Sofia have eagerly prepared and arranged multiple demonstration areas aiming at the full immersion of the visitors into the traditional Chinese arts and games. These areas have included such ones as for traditional calligraphy, for tea ceremony and for Go demonstration. There has been a special cosplay area dedicated to the dressing up in traditional Chinese costumes and another one for trying to master some classical musical instruments from China. Fun games such as shuttlecock and chopstick competitions have attracted the local people to stop by at the event and to appreciate the opportunity to participate in them enthusiastically.

 This culture festival and its activities have not only served as a report on the teaching achievements of the Peter Bogdan Foreign Languages High School in Montana, but also as a beneficial attempt for cultural exchange between China and Bulgaria. Hopefully, the event would further stimulate the interest in Chinese language learning among the local community and their enthusiasm for getting to know Chinese culture. It would help the cause of the Chinese language education in Bulgaria as well as the bilateral cultural exchange between China and Bulgaria.

Contributed by: Confucius Institute Sofia

Text: Wang Ruping

Photos: Lina Bi, Wang Ruping

Editors: Aksinia Koleva, Chen Chen, Liu Xiuming

English translation: Maya Kostadinova

Fig. 1: The poster advertising the event

Fig. 2: Mrs Maria Boncheva - Headmaster of the Peter Bogdan Foreign Languages High School in Montana delivering her speech

Fig. 3: Speech by Mrs Aksinia Koleva – the Bulgarian director of the Confucius Institute in Sofia

Fig. 4: The Pastrina mountain Bulgarian traditional dance.

Fig. 5: Blue and White Porcelain guqin performance

Fig. 6: Wushu Performance of Wing Chun

Fig. 7: Mrs Aksinia Koleva - the Bulgarian director of the Confucius Institute in Sofia and Mr Liu Xiuming - the Chinese director of CIS, awarding the winners.

Fig. 8: Calligraphy demonstration

Fig. 9: Mastering the liuqin

Fig. 10: The shuttlecock game

Fig. 11: The chopsticks competition

Fig. 12: Group photo of the guests and the performers at the event