Confucius Institute Metropolis Ruhr at the University of Duisburg-Essen Hosts Wuhan Culture Exhibition

Duisburg, May 16th—It is pleasantly warm and sunny in May in Duisburg. In this lovely season, the Confucius Institute Metropolis Ruhr at the University of Duisburg-Essen launched a one-month exhibition highlighting the culture of Wuhan in the Central Library of Duisburg.

During a press conference prior to the opening ceremony of the exhibition, the Central Library Curator, Dr. Babian, gave a speech. He stated that Wuhan was the first city to become a sister city of Duisburg and the two cities will celebrate the 30 anniversary of their partnership next year. The exhibition will undoubtedly help promote the in-depth exchange and enhance mutual understanding between the two cities, he added. The Institute’s Chinese Director Prof. Xu Kuanhua said that the Wuhan children's painting exhibition jointly hosted by the Institue and the Library last year proved to be a great success and attracted a large number of local pupils, and this exhibition will also enjoy great popularity among local citizens. The Institute’s Executive Director Dr. Anja Senz stated that the premiere highlight of the exhibition will be a reading hosted by Fang Fang, a well-known female writer from Wuhan, China. The reading and following interactions will help visitors learn more about Chinese writers and literature.

The exhibition featured abundant content and highlighted various themes, presenting visitors with a vivid portrait of Wuhan, a thriving city offering a fascinating mix of the ancient and modern. The exhibition consisted of 9 themes. First, the geopolitical location of Hubei and Wuhan: including related resources introducing the partnership between Wuhan and Duisburg and their differences and similarities; an overview of Wuhan, such as politics, economy and basic social information; the importance of its location, climate, dialects and so on. Second, city planning and places of interest, including the Yellow Crane Tower, the Guiyuan Buddhist Temple, museum, the East Lake Resort as well as their importance in the Chinese cultural value system. Third, the history of Wuhan, including the development of the ancient city of Wuhan and the partnership between Wuhan and Duisburg. Fourth, economic development and infrastructure, with an emphasis on highlighting Wuhan’s increasingly intensive transportation network since the reform and opening-up policies were introduced and the government's initiative to encourage citizens to use bicycles in addition to its efforts to improve traffic conditions. Fifth, environmental protection and urban forestation, with an introduction to Wuhan’s increasing efforts to protect the environment while developing the economy, such as efforts to increase botanical gardens, zoos, garbage recycling and increasing the number of cleaners. Sixth, public life: the lives of older people in Wuhan, family conditions, leisure life, communities and how they have changed. Seventh, educational exchanges and cooperation: higher education exchanges and research collaboration between Wuhan and Duisburg as well as exchanges between primary and secondary schools of the two cities and between the Wuhan Children's Library and the Central Library in Duisburg. Eighth, an introduction to writer Fang Fang’s readings at the Institute and the the Central Library. Ninth, cultural life: summer concerts at the concert hall in Wuhan and the Duisburg Symphony Orchestra’s visit to Wuhan; lives and work of young people and cyber culture, and young people’s performance at the Punk concert at the Fox Bar and Wuhan’s annual “Swimming across the Yangtze River” activity.

The exhibition is the second one the Institute has hosted in 2011 and also the second one carried out under the joint efforts of the Institute and the Central Library. (By Confucius Institute Metropolis Ruhr at the University of Duisburg-Essen)