By: NyimaSillah
Chinese Embassy in The Gambia, on Friday, awarded 34 winners of the Chinese Spring Festival Quiz and Cultural event to celebrate the Lantern Festival at a ceremony held at the Embassy
Speaking at the event, H.E. Liu Jin, Chinese Ambassador to The Gambia applauded Gambians for the interest they have in Chinese culture and tradition. “People-to-people exchange is a very important part of our bilateral relations,” Ambassador Jin said.
He added that now the whole country is back to normal life, China has also readjusted its prevention policies. This, he said, will benefit and facilitate the cross-border traveling between The Gambia and China.
H.E.Jin disclosed that in the coming years, the embassy is planning to invite around 300 Gambian friends to go to China.
He noted that the people-to-people exchange between The Gambia and China will be done through various channels like joining the exchange programs, training programs, and scholarships to increase their understanding.
“The Gambia and China are good friends. Let’s work together to promote our bilateral relationship,” Ambassador Liu Jin said.
The Quiz coordinator, Mr Lamin Cham, theEditor-in-Chief at the Standard newspaper, said “The motive of the quiz is to educate Gambians in the way of bicultural understanding of the way people of China live, their cultures and traditions that is why the embassy came up with this quiz to widen the horizons of Gambians about Chinese culture and traditions.”
However, he added, the questions were tricky but looking at the entries, it is amazing that the participants have done tremendously well and have shown great knowledge about the culture, and traditions of China.
1st prize winner, Georgina Riley, an Administrative Assistant at the US Embassy expressed her delight in being the first winner. Adding that, she has always been keen to learn about the cultures of different countries at a young age.
“This is why when I saw the first publication of the quiz in the Standard Newspaper I did not hesitate to participate”. She explained
Miss Riley also said the Chinese government supports the social and economic development of the Gambia by implementing projects such as road and bridge constructions.
She added that China and the Gambia have good diplomatic relations so it is no surprise that the Chinese embassy in the Gambia has cooperated with the Standard Newspaper for this Chinese Spring Festival Quiz, which she described as a step for Gambians to learn, understand and appreciate the tradition of Chinese culture.
