By Fatoumatta J Camara
In what could be defined as a significant educational gesture, the Chinese Ambassador to The Gambia, H.E. Ambassador Liu Jin has awarded the Chinese Ambassador’s Scholarship to forty outstanding students as he attended the International Chinese Language Day celebration on 17th May 2024 at the Chinese Embassy, Bijilo.
This remarkable event was also attended by lots of VIPs which included Prof. Herbert Robinson, the Vice Chancellor of the University of The Gambia, teachers, students from UTG, the Chinese Dean of Confucius Institute at UTG, and China Cultural Corner of Nusrat Senior Secondary School.
The event honoured outstanding students from various educational institutions who have shown exceptional proficiency in the Chinese language and a deep appreciation for Chinese culture.
In his remark, H.E. Ambassador Liu Jin emphasized the importance of linguistic and cultural exchanges in strengthening the bilateral relations between China and Gambia.
He recalled that at the UTG’s 16th convocation Ceremony, H.E. President Adama Barrow emphasized the positive contribution of education to the country’s development.
He noted that after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations in 2016, nearly 300 Gambian students received scholarships to study in China.
H.E. Ambassador Jin a China proposal of building “An equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization”, while introducing the latest China-Africa and China-Gambia cooperation outcomes in education and people-to-people exchanges.
He, therefore, encouraged outstanding Gambian students to learn about Chinese culture and become envoys of friendship between the two countries.
More so, he said the MOU on cooperation on vocational education between The Gambia and China signed by the Hon Minister of Higher Education and his counterpart has opened up a new area of bilateral education cooperation between the two countries.
Increasing the number of Chinese Ambassador Scholarship winners from 30 to 40, “We are promoting USET to join the China-Africa TVET Cooperation consortium, and identifying sister institutions in China for USET,” he disclosed.
Nyaninka Manjang UTG Student Union President, in his address, said the signing of the Belt and Road Cooperation Agreement in 2019 demonstrates how the Gambia’s socio-economic imperatives connect with China’s ambitious global infrastructure programme.
Mr Manjang stated that the two countries have strong political confidence and close coordination in multilateral institutions such as the United Nations and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), promoting each other’s vital interests in the global arena.
“The recipients of the scholarships were selected based on their academic performance, dedication to learning Chinese, and contributions to cultural exchange activities,” Fatou Jabang, one of the scholarship awardees, explained while expressing gratitude for this wonderful opportunity.
The event also featured performances showcasing Chinese music, dance, and traditional arts, highlighting the vibrant cultural heritage of China