A contestant competes at the "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for Ethiopian college students in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on June 5, 2024. The "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for Ethiopian college students was held here on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde)

The "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for Ethiopian college students was held in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, on Wednesday.

The competition was jointly hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia, the Confucius Institute at Addis Ababa University (AAU) and the Confucius Institute at the FDRE Technical and Vocational Training Institute (TVTI).

At the 2024 edition of the final Chinese proficiency competition in Ethiopia, contestants were challenged to deliver a speech, answer two questions related to Chinese culture, and present a talent show, in the presence of senior Ethiopian government officials, the Chinese diplomatic community in the East African country as well as academia and fellow Chinese language students drawn from across Confucius Institutes in the country.

A total of 11 Ethiopian students from across the country participated in the annual worldwide Chinese-speaking and performance event at TVTI.

Alemu Seyoum, a third-year Chinese language student from the Confucius Institute at the AAU, secured the first prize as he received rounds of applause from the audience for his energetic speech and vibrant traditional Chinese music performance.

"In preparation for the final competition, we have passed through rigorous selection process among our classmates. I am very happy to have won this competition. For me, to be recognized as the winner of this national competition is a very good achievement and it gives me additional motivation to further excel in my Chinese language studies," Seyoum said.

Addressing the awarding ceremony for winners of this year's competition, Ethiopia's State Minister of Education Kora Tushune underscored the crucial role of language and cultural exchange in fostering Sino-Ethiopian people-to-people relations.

"The establishment of the Confucius Institute at the AAU and the opening of similar centers in different higher education institutions of the country has created social and cultural bridges, and has promoted public diplomacy, global understanding and people-to-people relationships," Tushune said.

Shen Qinmin, charge d'affaires at the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia, on his part called on the contestants in particular and other Chinese language students to serve as the connecting bridges between the two brotherly peoples.

"I feel so proud to be here and to see the fruits of the two countries exchanges in culture, education and language," Shen said. "After a hard competition, you all stand out as proud competitors," the charge d'affaires told the contestants at the event.

The competition also featured distinctive Chinese cultural activities, including Chinese traditional songs, cultural performance and classical Chinese poems performed by Ethiopian Chinese language students, among others. 

Contestants present their certificates after the "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for Ethiopian college students in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on June 5, 2024. The "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for Ethiopian college students was held here on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde)

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