Tianjin: Tanzania’s Confucius Institute at the University of Dar es Salaam on Saturday celebrated the upcoming Spring Festival, social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of the traditional new year, with pomp and grandeur.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the event was organized by the Confucius Institute at the University of Dar es Salaam and the China Communications Construction Company Limited (CCCC) Tanzania Branch. It featured songs, dances, and Chinese martial arts performances by students and staff of the Confucius Institute.

The guests also sampled Chinese cuisine at a food carnival hosted by the CCCC. Bonaventure Rutinwa, vice chancellor for the University of Dar es Salaam, expressed hope that the Spring Festival would impact both Tanzania and China. He stated, “I believe this will encourage our students and guests to learn the Chinese language and acquire knowledge of its culture and traditions.”

The Confucius Institute is pivotal in offering cultural exchange and Chinese language learning, promoting mutual understanding and cooperation between Tanzania and China. According to the Chinese lunar calendar, the Spring Festival falls on Jan. 29 this year, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. In traditional Chinese culture, the snake symbolizes agility, wisdom, and vitality.

Che Zhaoguang, cultural counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Tanzania, emphasized that the Confucius Institute stands as a pillar of cooperation between China and Tanzania through education and cultural exchange. Che also noted that Kiswahili, widely spoken in the East African region, has become an international language with six universities in China teaching it.

Zhang Xiaozhen, Chinese director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Dar es Salaam, highlighted that the Spring Festival is the oldest and most important traditional festival in China, serving as a day for families to reunite, bid farewell to the old, and welcome the new spring.