A contestant (2nd L) shows her work of Chinese calligraphy during the "Chinese Bridge" competition for Egyptian university students in Ismailia, Egypt, on May 8, 2023. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)
The expansion of cultural exchanges has created an overwhelming desire among students in Arab countries to learn the Chinese language and to delve into Chinese culture and civilization.
CAIRO, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Booming cultural exchanges between Arab countries and China have contributed to promoting mutual understanding between the peoples of the Arab world and China and fostering mutual learning between the two great civilizations, said an Egyptian Sinologist.
Cultural exchanges between Egypt and China have made a great leap in recent years, covering all aspects of the cultural field, Mohsen Fergani, professor of Chinese language at the Ain Shams University in Cairo, told Xinhua in an interview.
In 2016, China and Egypt successfully hosted the China-Egypt Cultural Year, which involved a wide range of exchange activities in fields such as arts, literature, books, and youth education, lifting cultural exchanges to new heights, said Fergani.
The friendship between Chinese and Arab people was highly motivated by enhancing cultural cooperation, he said, adding that the expansion of cultural exchanges has created an overwhelming desire among students in Arab countries to learn the Chinese language and to delve into Chinese culture and civilization.
Fergani, who has been deeply engaged in Arab-Chinese cultural exchanges over the years, believes that understanding the Chinese culture helps Arab people interpret the Asian giant's development path and benefit from its outstanding experiences.
Chinese musicians perform in front of the Sphinx at the Giza Pyramids scenic spot in Giza, Egypt, April 3, 2023. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)
The Egyptian expert reaffirmed that Chinese foreign policy is consistent with its ancient culture which is based on the spirit of cooperation, participation, persistence, continuity, hard work, and humbleness.
The China-proposed development initiatives pursuing a community with a shared future for humanity are "derivative of Chinese culture that draws the right path for humans," Fergani noted.
Those initiatives empower the international community to face different security, political, economic, developmental, and cultural challenges and will also help narrow the wide gap between world powers and small, poor countries, he added.
The clout of Chinese culture, values, and civilization, he said, has contributed to making the international order more equitable and can achieve a better kind of prosperity and welfare.
Fergani has translated several Chinese classics, including The Analects of Confucius, The Book of Poetry, and Tao Te Ching, into Arabic. He was awarded the Special Book Award of China in 2013, the first Arab recipient of the honor, for his distinguished contribution to promoting China-Arab cultural exchanges.■
