Recently, a delegation of Poyntzpass PUMAS Basketball Club from Northern Ireland, led by Mr. Paul Cinvery, Chairperson of the club, visited Hubei Normal University (HBNU) from July 3 to 9, and got involved in a series of colorful language learning, cultural experience and interactive exchange activities. President Lei Rujin, deputy secretary of the Party Committee Ma Lijun, Standing Committee of the Party Committee Xiao Liuyi, and Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Party Committee Xu Ke participated in related activities respectively.

On the morning of July 4th, Hubei Normal University held a grand welcome ceremony in Conference Room 7521 of the Science and Technology Building. The Standing Committee of the University Party Committee, Prof. Xiao Liuyi first expressed a warm welcome to the visiting teachers and students, and delivered a brief introduction of HBNU. He stressed the importance of international education, and spoke highly of the Confucius Institute jointly established by our University and University of Ulster in Northern Ireland in 2011. The construction and development of the Confucius Institute has made great contributions to the cultural exchanges between the two sides.

 

Xu Ke, director of the Foreign Affairs Office of Huangshi Municipal Committee, gave a speech at the welcoming ceremony. He said that Huangshi City and Fermana City in Northern Ireland are friendly and cooperative cities, hoping to further enhance the friendly exchanges between the young generations of the two places, as well as promoting communications and mutual learning between the two civilizations.

Hubei Normal University arranged comprehensive Chinese language, traditional arts, Chinese martial arts and other characteristic courses for visiting delegation. They also had a tour to Liu Xiaohong Embroidery Museum, Daye Jin Winery and other places, so as to personally feel the charm of Chinese culture. More importantly, 3 basketball matches were scheduled particularly for the club holding the belief that Friendship comes before Competition.

The visits have not only deepened the friendship between the two local peoples, but also injected new vitality into the cultural exchanges between China and the UK, which is of great significance for our university to cultivate talents with international vision and cross-cultural communication competences.