Russian local official: Russia-China Year of Education aims to inject new impetus into bilateral cooperation

China News Service, Beijing, October 26 (Reporter Zeng Yue) The departure ceremony of the 100-member Russian principal delegation and the opening ceremony of the annual meeting of the China-Russia Middle School Alliance were held in Beijing on the 26th. Natalia Simachenko, deputy mayor of Rostov-on-Don, Russia, said in her speech that the Russia-China Year of Education aims to inject new impetus into bilateral cooperation between the two countries. In this context, language education has more practical significance.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Russia strategic partnership of coordination, the 25th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good Neighborliness, Friendly Cooperation, and the launch of the "China-Russia Year of Education." Natalia believes that the current relationship between Russia and China is at an all-time high, and education is one of the main driving forces for the two countries to get closer.

"Understanding starts with language, and language education can shape people's 'second perspective' of looking at the world, teach people to understand different cultural symbols, and build constructive dialogue." Natalia said that in Rostov-on-Don, the number of schools offering Chinese courses has gradually increased, and the number of people learning Chinese continues to grow. Chinese teaching is no longer limited to vocabulary and syntax itself. The teaching of calligraphy, history, culture and other knowledge also receives great attention.

In terms of higher education, Natalia said that Don State Technical University has been cooperating with Shandong Jiaotong University since 2019 to jointly cultivate professional talents recognized by both countries. Currently, there are more than 1,000 students studying in related programs. At the same time, Don State Technical University also actively carries out Chinese teacher training and the construction of local teaching materials to provide support for the sustainable development of Chinese education.

In recent years, Rostov-on-Don and Jinan City, Shandong Province, China have continued to deepen educational cooperation. Natalia said that through cultural exhibitions, youth forums and other activities, the two sides have created opportunities for young people from the two countries to communicate face-to-face and learn and grow together. Today, the number of students participating in the Chinese Olympiad in Rostov-on-Don has doubled, and more and more students are studying in Chinese universities.

"We usually think that bridges are built by engineers. But bridges connecting different nationalities are built by teachers." In Natalia's view, every class, every exchange, and every cooperation project are bricks that solidify the foundation of mutual understanding. "I firmly believe that the bridge we build together will be unbreakable."