On November 25th, the national flags of different countries fluttered in Jiukeshu Future Art Center （九棵树上海未来艺术中心） to welcome the 2023 International Cultural Festival of East China University of Science and Technology （ECUST）, where more than 300 international students from 72 countries in five continents gathered in Jiukeshu, presenting an international cultural feast to the public.     

Liu Wei said in his speech that the international students of ECUST in Fengxian （奉贤）, which is not only a cultural exchange, but also provides an opportunity to know China, understand China and recognize China.  

Photo: Speech by Liu Wei, Executive Vice Minister of Fengxian District Committee Publicity Department

Photo: Group photo of representatives from each country and our honored guests

Li Xiaopeng, Dean of College of International Education, ECUST, said that this International Culture Festival goes out of the campus and into the community, which is an important embodiment of the university's multi-faceted approach to implement the spirit of President Xi Jinping's speech on the promotion of the "Studying in China", and he hoped that students can better understand China through the platform of the festival. At the end of the speech, Li announced that the opening of the “2023 International Cultural Festival of East China University of Science and Technology”.

Photo: Speech by Li Xiaopeng, Dean of the College of International Education, ECUST

Students from Saudi Arabia, Mongolia, Vietnam, Turkmenistan, Pakistan and China presented a variety of cultural performances. Through various performances including songs, dances, instrumental performances, drama acts, and a catwalk show in Chinese costumes that brought together the folklore and cultural flavours of different countries. Lastly, all of the audiences were deeply infected and sang and danced together. 

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Photo: The cultural performances of the Chinese and foreign artists were spectacular

After the opening ceremony, the exhibition area was bustling with activity and crowded with visitors. A wide range of booths from various countries, each showcasing its own unique style. Hence, the visitors, eager to capture the experience, were certain to raise their phones, taking photos around all the booths.

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Photo: The Country Culture Showcase

The College of International Education has always been committed to telling Chinese stories, strengthening and improving the brand of "Studying in ECUST" by promoting the integration of Chinese and foreign students, and contributing to the internationalization construction of the university. The International Culture Festival of this year is the first time for the university to go out of the campus and use the art center for promoting. This is also to show the achievements of ECUST's internationalization and build a platform for Chinese and foreign cultural exchange. This provided a new opportunity for international students to gain a deeper understanding of China, experience the cityscape of Shanghai, and feel the joyous life of its citizens.