DAR ES SALAAM, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania's Confucius Institute at the University of Dar es Salaam on Saturday celebrated the upcoming Spring Festival, social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of the traditional new year, with pomp and grandeur.
The event, organized by the Confucius Institute at the University of Dar es Salaam and the China Communications Construction Company Limited (CCCC) Tanzania Branch, featured songs, dances, and Chinese martial arts performances by students and staff of the Confucius Institute.
The guests also sampled delicious Chinese cuisine at a food carnival hosted by the CCCC.
Bonaventure Rutinwa, vice chancellor for the University of Dar es Salaam, said he hoped the Spring Festival would have a great impact on both Tanzania and China. "I believe this will encourage our students and guests to learn the Chinese language and acquire knowledge of its culture and traditions."
He said the Confucius Institute is instrumental in offering cultural exchange and Chinese language learning, promoting mutual understanding of friendly cooperation between Tanzania and China.
According to the Chinese lunar calendar, the Spring Festival falls on Jan. 29 this year, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. In traditional Chinese culture, the snake symbolizes agility, wisdom, and vitality.
Che Zhaoguang, cultural counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Tanzania, said the Confucius Institute stands as a pillar of cooperation between China and Tanzania through education and cultural exchange through the teaching of the Chinese language.
Che said Kiswahili (Swahili language), widely spoken in the East African region, has also become an international language spoken across the world, adding that six universities in China are teaching Kiswahili.
Zhang Xiaozhen, Chinese director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Dar es Salaam, said the Spring Festival is the oldest and most important traditional festival in China, and it is a festive day for all families to reunite, bid farewell to the old and welcome the new spring. ■
