Time: Dec. 14, 2017  

Source: Office of International Exchange and Cooperation

Author: Zhao Zixiu             

Publisher: News Center     

At the invitation of the Ministry of Education's Department of International Organizations, 12 Filipino students at Jinan University participated in the 2017 CICA University Students’ Arts Festival in Xi’an from Dec. 9 to 11. Hosted by the ministry and co-organized by Xi'an International Studies University (XISU) and Xi’an Jiaotong University, the festival encouraged university students from member states of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) to display the cultural quintessence of their own nations. It also enhanced mutual understanding, respect and trust among countries and helped participants learn more about nations and cultures of the CICA member states through performances, cuisine and exchanges.

During the festival, international student delegates from JNU went to XISU's Chang'an Campus to exchange ideas with the students there. At the conference, JNU delegates performed a special dance to show the unique charm of the Philippines. At the end of the conference, students from both universities learned each other’s dialects.

(JNU delegates learning Shaanxi dialect at the exchange conference)

In the cultural activities organized by the ministry, JNU delegates visited the Terra Cotta Warriors, Xi'an's most famous tourist attraction, experiencing the rich history of this ancient capital of China.

JNU delegates performed Tinikling, a traditional bamboo dance, at the festival's closing ceremony, showcasing Filipino customs and practices for students from different countries. This CICA University Students' Festival not only provided opportunities for us to show unique charm of our own culture, but also enabled us to know more about other cultures, said Wu Hanlin, representing the international students.

(JNU delegates performing Tinikling at the closing ceremony of CICA University Students' Arts Festival)

(JNU international students taking group photos after the performance)

CICA was proposed by President Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan at the 47th United Nations General Assembly on Oct. 5, 1992, and began working as a forum in March 1993. It now has 26 member states and 14 observers. China held the chair of the CICA at the fourth Shanghai Summit in 2014, and in 2016 its term was extended to 2018. The CICA University Students' Arts Festival is one of the important events that China promised to hold during its presidency.