Today, on June 13, the Tea for Peace Harmony Festival was held in Freedom Square, in which the Confucius Institute of Science and Technology of the BNTU actively participated.
For reference: The Tea for Peace Harmony Festival is not just a celebration of Chinese culture, but a real bridge of friendship between Belarus and China. It brings together masters of traditional arts, musicians, dancers, acrobats, chefs and all those who appreciate live communication, the beauty of rituals and the wisdom of centuries-old traditions. The main purpose of the event is to show how mutual understanding between nations is born through the tea ceremony, calligraphy, martial arts and cooking.
At the festival, visitors were able to taste traditional Chinese dishes: dumplings, fried rice in Yangzhou style, bubble tea, zongzi and other treats. The Chinese Cultural Center and the Confucius Institutes of the universities held interactive classes on calligraphy, painting, paper cutting, Tai Chi and other arts. Tea ceremonies were also organized, as well as demonstrations of the intangible cultural heritage of Henan Province (burning gourds, New Year's engravings, and the Wanfu tiger).
The program of the gala concert included performances by the Henan Opera and Dance Group, the Henan Acrobatic Group and the Shaolin Martial Arts Center. The Belarusian side was represented by the State Academic Dance Ensemble and the Khoroshki Choreographic Ensemble. Shaolin wushu, acrobatic performances, folk dances, national music and joint productions were also held.
Zhang Wenchuan, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to the Republic of Belarus, delivered a welcoming speech during the opening ceremony of the event.
— Thanks to the strategic leadership of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Chinese-Belarusian relations continue to develop steadily at a high level. The relations of the all—weather and comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Belarus are not just words, they are concrete projects and events. We see this at every meeting of our heads of state, and right now at this festival, which has gathered a large number of friends enjoying the art and the aroma of tea.
Afterwards, the Ambassador visited all the presented stands, including the BNTU Confucius Institute of Science and Technology, where master classes in calligraphy, Chinese painting and coloring masks of the Beijing Opera were held.
During the festival, Vladimir Kleenkov, Director of the BNTU Confucius Institute for Science and Technology (from the Belarusian side), noted that the event, which is taking place for the third year in a row, traditionally introduces residents and guests of Minsk to Chinese culture, traditions and art.
— This event is already a traditional one, it is taking place for the third year in a row, and for the third year our Confucius Institute for Science and Technology of BNTU has been participating in it. It allows you to introduce residents and guests of Minsk to Chinese culture, Chinese traditions, and national art. This year, Chinese cuisine is presented on a larger scale at the event. Our Confucius Institute presents master classes in Chinese calligraphy, Chinese painting, and mask painting at the Beijing Opera. Every year, large queues always form at every event attended by our institute, and this time was no exception. Because our teachers try not only to give the participant the opportunity to write hieroglyphs, but also explain their meaning and historical facts about them, which allows participants to plunge deeper into Chinese culture.
The participation of the BNTU Confucius Institute for Science and Technology in the Tea for Peace Harmony Festival has once again confirmed its important role in popularizing Chinese culture among Minsk residents and guests of the capital. Master classes in calligraphy, painting and mask painting at the Beijing Opera, organized by the staff of the ICNT, traditionally attracted many interested parties, and the festival itself became a vivid example of effective cultural exchange, strengthening the Belarusian-Chinese partnership.
