2022 United Nations Chinese Language Day and 2nd CMG Overseas Chinese Language Video Festival Held

BRUSSELS, April 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2022 United Nations Chinese Language Day and the second CMG Overseas Chinese Language Video Festival has been held successfully for a second year.

Ms. Tatiana Valovaya, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva, Mr. Shen Haixiong, president and editor-in-chief of China Media Group, and H.E. Mr. Chen Xu, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Permanent Representative of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations Office at Geneva and other International Organizations in Switzerland, attended the online event and delivered remarks.

Ms. Valovaya, thanked the Permanent Mission of China to the UN as well as China Media Group for organizing the event. Valovaya said, for over a decade, Language Days have been celebrated at the United Nations to encourage cultural diversity and strengthen multilingualism.

She said, the UN in Geneva sees the importance of supporting multilingualism as a key component in advancing its agenda of Sustainable Development Goals. Adding that Chinese is also one of the world's oldest languages and the legacy and wisdom it carries are an essential part of our collective humanity.

The festival opens the door to China's ancient culture and "China Chic" - a modern take on traditional Chinese heritage is an opportunity to promote Chinese cultural diversity among the younger generation and to empower those for whom Chinese is not a first language.

Mr. Shen Haixiong, president and editor-in-chief of China Media Group, said in his speech, Chinese Language Day is designed to celebrate the diversity of both language and culture and promote multilateralism.

He said, as the flagship state media organization, China Media Group will continue to work to break down barriers and promote mutual understanding, creating a more peaceful world, and building a community with a shared future for mankind.

He believed that by bringing together thought, art and technology, the festival can better share how traditional Chinese culture has developed and continues to innovate in a new era.

H.E. Mr. Chen Xu, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Permanent Representative of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations Office at Geneva and other International Organizations in Switzerland, said in his speech that without understanding the splendid Chinese culture, it is hard to really understand the unique spiritual world of the Chinese people and similarly, without understanding the development trend of modern China, it is difficult to understand China's present and future.

He believes this is why "China Chic" was chosen as the theme of UN Chinese Language Day celebrations this year.

He hoped that the UN Chinese Language Day would continue to serve as the window and bridge, and help more foreign friends to have a better understanding of China, love Chinese culture and follow China's development and help promote cultural exchanges among countries and people.

The video festival launched on February 26, collecting original video works from non-native Chinese speakers under the "China Chic" theme – and held a video contest, called "Foreigners look at China Chic" and an awards ceremony to showcase the beauty of Chinese culture.

950 video entries from 45 countries and regions were received by April second. 14 works have been selected for 9 awards by a jury composed of people with various backgrounds in China and abroad. 6 young cultural ambassadors were chosen to participate in a scholarship provided by Tsinghua University. Winners will also have the opportunity to take part in the recording of a special programme at CMG Europe.

Some VIPs also took part in the video festival by choosing films that jumped out to them and making videos describing their reaction.

Zhao Houlin, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union, said UN Chinese Language Day is a very good opportunity to promote Chinese culture and language and expressed the hope that the festival will continue to highlight its contribution to the world.

Francesco Pisano, Chair of the Cultural Activities Committee at UNOG, said, culture and art are the most important ways for friends from different countries to communicate with each other. He thanked China Media Group for organizing the event on UN Chinese Language Day.

The video festival held activities on the themes of "culture and technology", "tradition and trends", "youth and interaction".

The music video for the official theme song, called "A Young Man's Voyage", was created by musicians from different countries to express the concept of "Chinese traditional style with a modern fashion twist". Young people from overseas have become captivated by China's cultural heritage, and are passionate to learn from the craftsmen safeguarding these tradition techniques.

Cangbao, the mascot of the Chinese Language Video Festival, was created to pay tribute to Cang Bao's master Cangjie, who is a legendary figure from ancient China who is seen as the original inventor of Chinese characters. The cute mascot is deeply loved by Generation Z.

The 60-minute special programme of the 2022 United Nations Chinese Language Day and the second CMG Overseas Chinese Language Video Festival will be aired on CGTN at 10:00 pm Beijing time on April 20. There will also be live streaming of the special programme on the social media accounts of the Chinese Language Video Festival, the UNOG, and the Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations at Geneva.

It will also be broadcasted on Sky showcase, Propeller channel, Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation, Thessaloniki Municipality TV Station TV100, Beta News Agency etc.

The date for the UN Chinese Language Day was selected to coincide with Guyu which is the sixth of 24 solar terms in the Chinese lunar calendar. On this particular day people pay tribute to Cang Jie, an important figure in ancient China who is said to have invented Chinese characters.

In April 2021, China Media Group, together with the United Nations Office at Geneva and China's Permanent Mission to the United Nations at Geneva, successfully jointly held the 2021 United Nations Chinese Language Day and the First CMG Overseas Chinese Language Video Festival. It reached a total of 150 million people from 160 countries and regions.

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