On May 9, Saturday, 7 top candidates selected among over 100 participants took part in the final contest for the “14th Chinese Bridge Contest” in Greece. They are Greek students who have learned Chinese for 2.5 years or over 10 years time. The judges are Mr. Zhang Zhan, the cultural attaché from Chinese Embassy, Ms Yang Xiuqin, the co-director of BCI, and other 5 teachers and scholars who are very experienced in Chinese language teaching in Greece.

After the exciting competition on Oral Speech, Questions/Answers, and presentation of the Chinese Arts, Miss Myrto Pollali (米豆) wins the first Prize, Ms Varga Rita and Miss Yuonne Goettler (仪芳) win the second Prize, and Miss Anastasia Ershova, Mr. Nikolas Polyzoidis (陈建华), Ms Irini Ioannidi(艾琳) and Miss Martha Kakouni win the third Prize.

This Contest is held every year one time, for choosing the best in learning Chinese language and culture. The winners will represent Greece to go to China in July this year to participate in the Global University students Competition for Chinese language and cultural knowledge. Top Chinese universities will offer them scholarships for learning from one semester to one year in China.

Launch Ceremony of Chinese Bridge Contest（汉语桥比赛）in Greece

On March 29th, Business Confucius Institute in Athens held the “2015 Chinese Teachers Seminar and Launch Ceremony of Chinese Bridge Contest in Greece”. Nearly 40 more Chinese teachers who are native Chinese or Greeks attended it. Chinese ambassador Mr. Zou Xiaoli and two co-directors Ms Yang Xiuqin and Dr. Dimitris Kardaras were present. Mr. Zou made an excellent talk on the relationship between China and Greek, the current cooperative projects like COSCO business expansion in Piraeus, the importance of Chinese language teaching on promoting the understanding between two peoples. He kindly invites all teachers to be guests in the Chinese Embassy and welcomes direct email contacts from the teachers for any issue concerned. On the accreditation of HSK certificate, Mr. Zou said he will contact with Hanban, China, and the departments concerned in Greece and try to solve the issue the soonest. Ms Yang Xiuqin, the co-director of BCI gives a brief introduction to the Chinese Bridge Contest (汉语桥比赛) procedures and encourage all students to participate in this Contest which is held on 2nd, May, 2015 in BCI. After that, the teachers discussed their own thoughts and experience in Chinese teaching and everybody expressed thanks to Mr. Zou’s wonderful talk and the appreciation to BCI for organizing such a meaningful event.

Business Confucius Institute in Athens-Greece celebrated on the 14th of February 2015 the Chinese New Year at Zafolia Hotel in Athens city. There were more than 200 guests invited, among them the Ambassador of China in Athens, Mr. Zou Xiaoli and the Rector of the University of Business and Economics in Athens Mr. Gatsios, who attended the event as well. BCI's students exceptionally presented various artistic performances like dancing, cross-talking, acting, while Ms Yu impressed us with her unique talent and voice! Many of our students received gifts through the lucky draw procedure and awards were handed to the BCI students who excelled in their classes. All of our students, teachers and guests were delighted and enjoyed a cheerful and lovely evening.