The room buzzed with Danish, English and Chinese languages, underlining the fact that both the aim of the day and the atmosphere were very much international.
No fewer than 100 guests, representing at least 18 nationalities, had gathered under one roof at this opening reception at ?legaarden.
Kolding’s Chinese Epicentre
It was Denmark meeting China, and China meeting Denmark - and that’s exactly what the Confucius Classroom is all about: the new centre will serve to promote the Danish-Chinese collaboration within culture, language, education and business, in an international partnership with Shanghai Finance University. It will also be the epicentre of Kolding for cultural development and business-related collaboration between the two countries.
IBA president Niels Egelund began with an opening speech, in which he noted the huge international developments that IBA Kolding has undergone over the years.
He went on to outline the purpose of the Confucius Classroom as a skills and research centre, as well as a driving force for Danish-Chinese activities on a regional, national and international level. He has visited China himself on no less than eight occasions.
IBA President Niels Egelund
Chinese Classical Music
After the opening speech, two young female soloists - Yu Xiaoqian and Huang Lin - took to the stage to play some classical Chinese music on the traditional Chinese stringed instruments, the sanxian and the erhu. Both girls are from the Confucius Institute at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen.
