Participants in the first World Chinese Conference (WCC)
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have reached consensus for the shared goal of developing the
world's diversified culture and building a harmonious world, Zhou
Ji, director of the State Leading Group for Teaching Chinese as a
Foreign Language, said in Beijing Friday at the conference's
closing ceremony.
The two-day conference attracted nearly 600 government
officials, Sinologists and Chinese teachers from 67 countries and
regions to discuss the present and future of teaching Chinese
overseas, with the theme of "The Development of Chinese in a
Multicultural World."
Developing foreign language teaching worldwide is required to
protect the diversified cultures of human beings. It is also of
great significance to boosting dialogue and communication among
different civilizations, thus pushing forward a multicultural
world.
Zhou said, "We all believe that to educate people in foreign
languages is conducive to maintaining world peace, since language
is the best and most crucial tool to help strengthen mutual
understanding among people. Foreign language study can also help
people enhance mutual respect."
Zhou, also minister of education, pointed out that a nation
should develop foreign language study while helping others learn
its own language. "This is a shared duty and interest common for us
all, since each nation is willing to be better understood by
others."
(Xinhua News Agency July 23, 2005)