Chinese Consul General Li Nan to visit Derry school's thriving Confucius Institute Hub

St Columb’s College is set to play host to a very special guest on Friday next, April 4 when the Chinese Consul General Li Nan visits the school’s thriving Confucius Institute Hub.

Confucius Institutes are public educational organisations, funded by the Chinese government, that promote Chinese language and culture, and facilitate cultural and educational exchanges worldwide. 

The visit of the Consul General is a notable event for the school, who have grown their Confucius Institute significantly since 2012 to include eight partner schools - Steelstown PS, Holy Family PS, St Patrick’s PS, Greenhaw PS, St Therese’s PS, Holy Child PS, St Eithne’s PS and Foyle College. The school hosts two Chinese teachers – Noah and Miss Tao. 

The Consul General will enjoy a tour of St Columb’s College, a visit to the Music Department for some traditional Irish music and dance, Confucius Institute workshops, quizzes, sport and artwork and the opportunity to take part in a Chinese Tea Ceremony with students. 

St Columb’s College Principal Mrs Caroline McLaughlin is honoured to have the Consul General visit the school to see the sterling work of their students. 

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“Through our Confucius Institute Hub we have been able to offer our boys the opportunity to not only learn Mandarin, but to experience a culture totally different from our own,” she said. “Our pupils have experienced music, dance, food, sports and customs which otherwise they would not have encountered. These experiences will stay with them long after they leave our school and help to encourage respect and mutual understanding. 

Confucius Institute Hub Coordinator Mrs Patrice McConnell said that the Consul General’s visits reaffirm the excellent work the St Columb’s College Hub are doing.

“I have enjoyed every minute of working with the team at the Confucius Institute,” she said. “They bring a wealth of opportunities to our school and, indeed, all of our partner schools. I have been able to arrange for cultural workshops across all of the schools within our partnership and as a result, hundreds of children in the Derry area have been able to experience the culture and colour associated with China. This visit reaffirms the work that we have been doing and will further inspire our boys to continue with their studies.”

Year 13 student Matthew Black said he was looking forward to the visit and showcasing how the Confucius Institute have greatly inspired pupils like himself.

“I have been learning Mandarin as part of my Curriculum Enrichment programme this year,” he said. “I will admit that I find the language challenging, but I am really enjoying learning about China and being able to experience some of the culture associated with it. I hope to be able to see some of these activities first hand in the future as I would love to visit China as a result of these classes.”

The Consul General will visit St Columb’s College on Friday April 4th.