On the evening of June 21, the "Midsummer Dragon Boat Festival" was successfully held at COSCO Shipping Piraeus Port Authority. The event was co-organized by Athens Business Confucius Institute at the AUEB, COSCO Shipping Piraeus Port Authority, China Public Diplomacy Association, Chinese Embassy in Greece. With the theme of Dragon Boat Festival, the event introduced and demonstrated the customs of traditional Chinese festivals and provided a platform for the people of China and Greece to exchange and interact with each other. Deputy Rector of Athens University of Economics and Business Professor George Lekakos was invited to attend the event and delivered speech and Zhao Zhongxiu, President of the University of International Business and Economics, delivered a video congratulatory speech. Nearly 300 people participated in the event.

The Deputy Rector of Athens University of Economics and Business Professor George Lekakos mentioned in his speech that the Athens University of Economics and Business will continue to cooperate with the University of International Business and Economics to support the development of the Confucius Institute and the cooperation with Chinese companies to promote win-win relationships and contribute to infrastructure, trade and social development for common development and future prosperity.

The event consisted of five sessions: Tracing the origins, talking, drinking, singing and performing martial arts, which allowed the culture of Greece and China to ripple through the port of Piraeus.

1. Time & Location

Oct. 23, Sunday

11: 00 – 14:00

Agia Paraskevi Square

2. Organizers 

Host:  Athens Business Confucius Institute

Co-organizers:  Agia Paraskevi Municipality, Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Greece

3. Agenda

11:00 – 11:30 Opening Ceremony

Host: Mrs Hongwei Yan, Chinese Director of Athens Business Confucius Institute

Mrs Georgia Pispa, President of the Center for the Prevention of Addictions “ARGO” for the municipalities of Papagou – Cholargou- Agia Paraskevi

• Speeches
• Mr. Vassilis Zorbas, Mayor of Agia Paraskevi
• Ambassador Xiao Junzheng, Embassy of the People’s Republic in China in the Hellenic Republic
• Mr. Dionysis Lekkas, Vice Mayor of Education of Agia Paraskevi
• Vice Rector of UIBE (Video)
• Mr. Alexandros Papalexandris, Associate Professor, Co-director of Athens Business Confucius Institute

• Gift Exchanging

• Performance
• Kung Fu Performance
• Chinese Musical Instrument Guzheng Performance
• Chinese – Greek Poem Reading

11:30 – 14:00 Chinese Culture Workshops

• Chinese Painting Workshop

• Chinese Calligraphy Workshop

• Chinese paper cutting \ paper folding workshop

• Chinese language corner

• Tea Tasting & Traditional Chinese Clothes HANFU demonstration

  14:00 – 16:00 Formal Lunch (invited only)

*Bus (for Confucius Institute students and teachers, and kung fu school) will depart from Confucius Institute at 9:00 am, depart from Agia Paraskevi at 14:00 pm (pre-registered only).

In recent years, the exchanges between China and Greece have been increasing, and Chinese language teaching in Greece as a field thus has also flourished. In order to gain an in-depth understanding of the current situation and development opportunities of Chinese language teaching in Greece, to enhance communication among Chinese language teachers in Greece, to enhance local teachers’ teaching ability and broaden their academic horizon, Athens Business Confucius Institute at the AUEB plans to hold the "Chinese Language Teaching in Greece Conference " on June 26, 2022.

The seminar will invite Associate Professor Yan Hongwei, Director of the Confucius Institute for Business in Athens; Associate Professor Roula Tsokalidou Director of the Confucius Institute at Aristotle University, Professor Wang Xiaohong, Director of the Confucius Institute at Thessaly University along with other leaders and educators in the field of international Chinese teaching in Greece to conduct in-depth discussions on the current situation and to exchange experiences. At the same time, the conference will also introduce the CTCSOL exam and preparation guideline, which is believed to be of great help to the front-line teachers to further improve their teaching ability and knowledge in Chinese teaching education!

On May 7^th and 8^th, at the invitation of the Sparta Municipal Government, the Athens Business Confucius Institute grandly held the "Sparta Chinese Culture Festival" in Sparta. Chinese Ambassador to Greece Xiao Junzhen, Mayor of Sparta Petros Doukas, and Yan Hongwei, Director of the Athens Business Confucius Institute attended and delivered opening speeches.

Ambassador Xiao Junzheng said in his speech that Sparta has a splendid civilization, and its cultural and historical significance is as famous as Athens. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Greece, and the second year of the China-Greece Culture and Tourism Year. It is hoped that taking this "Sparta City Chinese Culture Festival" as an opportunity, Sparta City and the Chinese side will enhance contact, expand cooperation, share cooperation opportunities so as to enhance mutual understanding between the Chinese and Greek people.

Director Yan Hongwei said that the Athens Business Confucius Institute was honored to be invited to host this Chinese Culture Festival. As the first Confucius Institute in Greece, the Athens Business Confucius Institute actively organizes Chinese cultural promotion activities. It is hoped that the Chinese Culture Festival can sow the seeds of Chinese culture in the hearts of the Spartan people, enhance the friendship between the Chinese and Greek people, and promote cultural exchanges between China and Greece.

In his speech, the mayor of Sparta sincerely thanked the Athens Business Confucius Institute and the Chinese Embassy in Greece for their strong support for this event. Since ancient times, Sparta has advocated democracy, free public education, and equality between men and women, which has similarities with Chinese civilization. Sparta City looks forward to more cooperation with China in various fields.