China News Service, Beijing, September 29 (Liu Ji Zeng Yue) The 2026 global "Confucius Institute Day" event hosted by the China International Chinese Education Foundation was held in Beijing on the 29th. With the theme of "Gathering with Trust and Working for Peace", this event brought together Chinese and foreign guests such as envoys to China, representatives of the Chinese government, directors of Confucius Institutes, and representatives of Chinese and foreign cooperative institutions.
Yu Yunfeng, director of the Chinese and Foreign Language Exchange and Cooperation Center of the Ministry of Education, pointed out in his speech that under the current complex international situation, the Confucius Institute adheres to its original mission, enhances understanding through dialogue, seeks consensus through communication, and deepens mutual trust through exchanges. The Language Center is willing to work with the foundation and Confucius Institutes in various countries to jointly build a high-quality platform for Chinese education, a friendly platform for civilized dialogue, and a platform for collaborative development and innovation, and jointly promote the high-quality development of the Confucius Institute.
Duan Peng, Vice Chairman of the China International Chinese Language Education Foundation and President of Beijing Language and Culture University, said that in the face of the differences and challenges in today's world, the value of people-to-people exchanges has become increasingly prominent. The "Confucius Institute Day" activities carried out around the world continue to convey the concept of "trust for peace".
Linda Namakondo, First Secretary of the Embassy of the Republic of Zambia in China, affirmed the important bridging role of the Confucius Institute in enhancing friendship between the two countries, promoting cultural understanding, and carrying out various cooperation. She said that this year, Mulungushi University and Zhejiang University of Communication will jointly build the Mulungushi University Digital Intelligence Confucius Institute, which will integrate digital technology, innovative concepts and smart learning models to create a new model of language education and cultural exchange that meets the development needs of the times.
Huang Shanguo, Vice President of Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, shared the overall planning and operating mechanism of the Confucius Institute jointly built by the school, focusing on the Confucius Institute at Tshwane University of Technology in South Africa, which focuses on the digital construction of international Chinese education in South Africa, focusing on creating "Chinese + digital skills" courses to cultivate comprehensive talents that adapt to local needs.
Latvian Sinologist and Director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Latvia, Bedegao spoke on behalf of the recipients of the Confucius Institute Director Memorial Medal. He shared his decades of involvement in the cause of language and cultural exchanges between Latin America and China, and said that Latin America and China jointly believe in the concept of "harmony without difference" and will continue to deepen the cause of Confucius Institutes in the future and contribute to exchanges and mutual learning between Latin American and Chinese civilizations.
"We Are Friends: Comprehensive Chinese Tutorial" was released on-site. This tutorial was jointly designed and developed by the Foundation and FLTRP. It is based on the actual needs of the Confucius Institute and classrooms, combines language learning, situational communication and cultural understanding, and is simultaneously equipped with paper publications and digital learning resources.
This year, another 20 Chinese and foreign directors have served in their posts for ten years and have been highly recognized by Chinese and foreign cooperation institutions. The foundation awarded them the Confucius Institute Director Memorial Medal. So far, a total of 196 directors of Chinese and foreign Confucius Institutes have received this honor.
The awards ceremony and logo release ceremony of the 6th "Most·Confucius Institute" global short video collection event were held simultaneously on site. A total of 148 masterpieces are on the list. 15 participants with outstanding expressive and creative abilities became “Confucius Institute Masters”, and 36 units became outstanding organizers.
Zhao Lingshan, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of the China International Chinese Language Education Foundation, said that the Foundation is conducting collection and promotion activities for high-quality educational achievements from Confucius Institutes around the world. It is hoped that the Confucius Institute will take this event as an opportunity to further accumulate valuable experience, share excellent cases, strengthen mutual reference, and jointly promote the high-quality development of Confucius Institutes.
