The Chinese government and US educators lit one small candle yesterday, opening the first Confucius Institute in the US state of Georgia.
The Confucius Institute in Atlanta is part of a fast-growing international network of cultural centers supported through grants from the Chinese government to promote cultural understanding. The center is a joint project between Nanjing University, Emory University and Atlanta Public Schools.
Not only the first Confucius Institute in the State of Georgia and the southeastern US, it is also the first and only one in the United States to be jointly administered by a private American university and a public school system.
"This is a special occasion for all of us who are committed to international education," said Emory President James Wagner. "Ultimately our aim is to enhance the understanding between the peoples of our different nations and cultures - truly an exalted and noble goal."
Housed in Atlanta's Sammye E. Coan Middle School near the Emory campus, the Confucius Institute in Atlanta is "designed to be a gateway to Chinese language and culture for individuals, families, communities and schools in metro Atlanta and the surrounding area," says Rong Cai, associate professor of Chinese and the inaugural director of the institute.
The Confucius Institute in Atlanta will help introduce instruction in standard Chinese throughout the state of Georgia and foster knowledge of Chinese language and culture.
"In today's environment, where intellectual capital can be video conferenced, e-mailed, faxed or flown in, the school district's charge is to produce scholarly citizens of the world," says Atlanta Public Schools superintendent Beverly Hall.
Questions:
1. What is a Confucius Institute?
2. Why was the opening in Atlanta significant?
Answers:
1. An international network of cultural centers supported through grants from the Chinese government to promote cultural understanding.
2. It was the first Confucius Institute in the State of Georgia and the southeastern US, it is also the first and only one in the United States to be jointly administered by a private American university and a public school system.
（英语点津 Helen 编辑）
About the broadcaster:
Brendan joined The China Daily in 2007 as a language polisher in the Language Tips Department, where he writes a regular column for Chinese English Language learners, reads audio news for listeners and anchors the weekly video news in addition to assisting with on location stories. Elsewhere he writes Op’Ed pieces with a China focus that feature in the Daily’s Website opinion section.
He received his B.A. and Post Grad Dip from Curtin University in 1997 and his Masters in Community Development and Management from Charles Darwin University in 2003. He has taught in Japan, England, Australia and most recently China. His articles have featured in the Bangkok Post, The Taipei Times, The Asia News Network and in-flight magazines.
