The New Zealand Minister of Education Hekia Parata joined Chinese Ambassador to New Zealand Wang Lutong and his wife Madame Yang Pengbo, the Mayor of Wellington Celia Wade-Brown, and Confucius Institute Senior Consultant Tony Browne in celebrating the opening today of a new Confucius Classroom at one of New Zealand’s most famous secondary schools.

Wellington Girls’ College was the first girls’ secondary school to teach Chinese in New Zealand, and has done so continuously for 27 years. Principal Julia Davidson expressed her deep gratitude to the Confucius Institute and Hanban for the honour of being selected for a Confucius Classroom. She pledged the full dedication of the College in continuing to teach Chinese language and culture to more students in the years ahead.

In their speeches, Minister Parata, Ambassador Wang and Chairman of Victoria University’s Confucius Institute Tony Browne all placed emphasis on the importance of learning Chinese language and culture and the enormous opportunities that opens up for young New Zealanders. Tony Browne conveyed the warm congratulations of Hanban Director General Xu Lin and Xiamen University President Zhu Chongshi to the assembled guests, teachers and students.

Read The Radio New Zealand Voices programme about the opening of the Confucius Classroom.

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