April 20 is the United Nations Chinese Language Day. On that day, the “Mutual Learning from Diversified Civilizations” event of the UN Chinese Language Day was held in an international school in Yiwu. More than 140 international students and teachers from over 20 countries and regions gathered together to celebrate the beauty of the Chinese language.

On the occasion, children were immersed in activities aimed at illustrating the evolution of Chinese characters. They listened to stories about the four great inventions of ancient China and experienced traditional Chinese etiquette and clothing. Some of the children also stepped onto the stage to perform, according to their own interpretations, the beauty of traditional Chinese culture. The performances included traditional etiquette and costumes, poetry recitation, and the singing of Chinese songs.

A 12-year-old Lebanese girl known by her Chinese name, Zheng Mia, told us she was less than five years old when she came to Yiwu with her parents and began to learn Chinese. Now she can speak Chinese fluently and can sing many Chinese songs. “Chinese characters are full of wisdom and charm. I hope to become a disseminator of Chinese culture in the future,” Zheng Mia said, showing with a smile her Hanfu dress.

In Yiwu, the world’s capital of small commodities, the number of international residents is continually growing. In the process of optimizing the business environment, it is imperative to help the children of international businesspeople learn about China while also providing them with high-quality educational resources.

In recent years, with the unremitting efforts of the Yiwu Education Bureau and other supporting departments, the needs of international children in Yiwu have been better met. An increasing number of international children are learning experiencing traditional Chinese culture and Yiwu’s local culture. (Text and photo by Fang Wei, translated by Marco Lovisetto, edited by Daniel Haws)