Confucius Institute inaugurates new building at University of Ghana

The Confucius institute last Wednesday inaugurated a 3-storey building furnished with state-of-the-arts facilities to serve as a hub for the teaching and learning of Chinese language and culture at the University of Ghana, Legon.

The Institute, which was formerly housed at the Department of Modern Languages has been promoting Chinese culture, social integration and cultural infusion with Ghanaians since its establishment in the country three years ago.

The new office building has an assembly hall, a reading room, offices, classrooms and a language lab. It also has an attic that is designed to serve as a cultural exhibition center dedicated to the display of Chinese cultural artifacts, such as tea art, mahjong, Chinese zodiac, eighteen arms, Chinese minority costume among others.

Speaking at the inauguration, the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Madam Sun Baohong noted that the challenges that confronts the world today can only be tackled when the world presents a united front, adding that “no country can deal with the challenges facing mankind alone, and no country can return to an isolated island.”

She said such win-win cooperation between China and other countries brought about the development of the Confucius Institute.

Madam Sun Baohong said “the Confucius Institute has become "bridges" between China and foreign civilizations and an important window for the world to know China and for China to deepen its friendship and cooperation with other countries.

She said the construction of the Model Confucius Institute building was necessitated by the expansion of academic programs and the growing enthusiasm for the Chinese language and culture.

She admonished the staff of the Institute to adopt "innovation, cooperation, inclusion and sharing attitude as well as intensify efforts to deepen reform and innovation in the teaching and learning of the Chinese language.”

“I hope that the Confucius institute at the University of Ghana will make persistent efforts to cultivate a high standard of native Chinese teachers in Ghana, actively explore ways to localize Chinese teaching and make new breakthroughs in mutual learning and mutual emulation of two cultures.”

A speech read on behalf of the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Mrs Catherine Afeku, she said the growing economic and socio-cultural relationship between Ghana and China needs to be strengthened in order to increase mutual understanding and tolerance for each other's beliefs and values.

“This is because learning only the language of a people does not guarantee successful communication with them. Understanding their culture in addition to the language is what will guarantee healthy communication outcomes, which will ensure good relationships,“ she noted.

She said the Ministry will continue to provide opportunities for the Chinese people to also learn about Ghana through tourism fairs and exhibitions in China.

In addition, she said the Ministry would also foster closer collaboration with the Confucius Institute in order to promote more exchanges between Ghana and China in the areas of Tourism, Culture and the Arts.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Ebenezer Oduro Owusu expressed satisfaction at the strides made by the institute and believes that the new edifice will enhance the teaching and learning experience of students.

He said the institute has outgrown its current space of just three office rooms and as such the model Confucius Institute building opens up new opportunities for higher commitment to meet the increasing demand and expectations of all stakeholders.