Classical Chinese poetry festival held in Cuba LATAM

Key Concepts

• Chinese Language and Traditions in Cuba: The growing interest and learning of Chinese language and ancient traditions among Cuban youth.
• Poetry Recitation: Performance of classical Chinese poems by Cuban children and young people.
• Academic Cooperation Accord: Agreement between Havana's Chinatown and Havana University's Faculty of Foreign Languages to promote Chinese language and culture studies.
• Diplomatic Relations: The context of the accord within the 65 years of diplomatic relations between Cuba and China.
• Confucius Institute: The role of the Havana Confucius Institute in graduating Cubans and facilitating further studies in China.
• Cultural Bridges: The role of language learning in strengthening cultural connections between Cuba and China.

Poetry Festival and Cultural Exchange

The Center of Chinese Arts and Traditions in Havana's Chinatown hosted a festival featuring Cuban children and young people engaged in learning Chinese language and ancient traditions. A significant part of the event involved the recitation of classical Chinese poems.

• Poem Recitation Examples:
  • A young lady recited "Drinking Alone in the Moonlight" by the legendary Chinese poet Li Bai. The transcript notes that this poem reflects the poet's feelings of being a "refugee in nature," experiencing a connection with the moon, stars, and self.
  • Other recited poems included "Yearning" by Wang Wei and "Spring Dawn" by Meng Haoran.
  • "Question and Answer on the Mountains," also by Li Bai, was another recited piece.

Academic Cooperation Accord

The poetry festival served as a venue for a significant academic agreement:

• Parties Involved: An academic cooperation accord was signed between Havana's Chinatown and the Havana University's Faculty of Foreign Languages.
• Signatories: Teres Ali, Director of Chinatown, and Ania Perez, Dean of the Faculty of Foreign Languages, penned the document.
• Objectives:
  • To promote the study of Chinese language and culture in Cuba.
  • To expand the understanding of Chinese culture on the island.
• Context: The agreement coincides with the celebration of 65 years of diplomatic relations between Cuba and China.

Promoting Chinese Language and Culture

The accord is part of broader efforts to increase the presence of Chinese language and culture in Cuba.

• Havana Confucius Institute: This institute has been instrumental in graduating many Cubans who have learned Chinese.
  • Scholarships: Several graduates have been granted scholarships to pursue further studies in China.
• Educational System: Chinese language is already an optional subject for high school students in Cuba's education system.
• Faculty of Foreign Languages: The head of the Chinese and English language departments at the faculty highlighted that the new accord will facilitate the exchange of joint academic, cultural, and language projects between Chinatown and the university.

Growing Interest and Cultural Bridges

The festival, along with other events hosted by Chinatown, demonstrates a growing interest among Cuban youth in Chinese culture.

• Increased Chinese Language Learning: There has been a notable increase in Chinese language learning in Cuba over the past few years.
• Strengthening Bonds: This trend is establishing more cultural bridges between Cuba and China, nations that already share long-standing bonds of friendship.
• Festive Ambiance: Traditional Chinese dances contributed to the lively atmosphere of the event.

Conclusion

The event in Havana's Chinatown underscores the deepening cultural ties between Cuba and China, driven by the increasing enthusiasm of Cuban youth for Chinese language and traditions. The signing of the academic cooperation accord between Chinatown and Havana University is a concrete step towards formalizing and expanding these educational and cultural exchanges, building upon the existing diplomatic relationship and fostering greater mutual understanding.