Crossing Oceans to Enhance Friendship: Three Schools in Yueqing Sign Friendship Pairing Agreement with New Zealand Schools

Spanning thousands of miles to enhance friendship through exchanges and interactions. On October 23, Yueqing Experimental Primary School, Yueqing Chengnan Middle School, Yueqing Hongqiao Town Ninth Primary School, and a delegation of principals from New Zealand held a signing ceremony for the"Silver Fern Plan" friendship school agreement at Yueqing Experimental Primary School.

Schools from New Zealand visited schools in Yueqing. Photo provided by Yueqing converged media center

On that day, to welcome friends who came from afar, Yueqing Experimental Primary School, as the main venue, carefully prepared a welcome ceremony. The melodious folk music played the prelude to friendship; a Yue Opera duet,"Celestial Maiden Scattering Flowers", demonstrated the charm of classical art; and a solo dance,"Picking Chrysanthemums Under the Eastern Hedge", showcased the beauty of the East. In the report hall, the children's wonderful performances earned rounds of applause from the New Zealand delegation, which also prepared gifts for the children.

"We hoped to showcase distinctive elements of Chinese culture, so we found students with a foundation in dance and opera in advance, and our music and dance teachers arranged these programs", said Xue Yanqiang, the secretary of the Party branch at Yueqing Experimental Primary School.

Afterward, student tour guides from Yueqing Experimental Primary School transformed into cultural ambassadors, introducing the school's Bird Museum, science laboratories, herbal medicine activity room, and other facilities to the delegation.

They are studying and copying with the students eagerly.Photo provided by Yueqing converged media center

At the Yunxi Art Museum on campus, the New Zealand delegation visited a calligraphy class, eagerly studying and copying with the students, and experiencing traditional Chinese culture. The students also presented their calligraphy and painting works to their New Zealand friends, spreading the culture of calligraphy. At the school's swimming pool, the tour guides introduced the school's swimming characteristics and honors, earning praise from the delegation.

After the wonderful campus tour, the Chinese and New Zealand sides held an exchange forum in the administrative conference room of Yueqing Experimental Primary School and signed a partnership agreement for friendship schools. In the future, through online exchanges and offline visits, they will increase mutual understanding, learn from each other, jointly improve educational standards, cultivate individuals with an international perspective, and enhance students' cross-cultural understanding.

According to Xue Yanqiang, New Zealand's basic education is among the leading globally. In July this year, Yueqing Experimental Primary School organized a group of students to conduct study tours and exchanges at New Zealand schools through the"Silver Fern Plan" project. This time, it was a visit by a New Zealand education inspection delegation to China. This visit not only deepened the friendship and understanding between primary school students from China and New Zealand but also built a bridge for exchanges and cooperation between schools on both sides. (Hou Renwei)