A Chinese cultural extravaganza presented by foreigners living in Ningbo. [Photo provided to Ningbo Times]
By Dong Na
Recently, the inauguration ceremony of the China Daily Readers' Club (Ningbo) & Fans Festival was held at the Ningbo Talent Family. The event attracted nearly 100 participants from 16 countries and regions.
Ningbo's rich international exchange opportunities, strong links with overseas Chinese communities, coupled with its unique geographical location, long history, and profound culture make the city an important gateway for the world to see and understand China.
As a bridge of communication, the Readers' Club will organize frequent international cultural exchange activities, striving to become an important platform where people around the world could understand traditional Chinese culture and witness the pace of Ningbo's development.
A New Platform for
Cross-Cultural Communication
In recent years, Ningbo has stepped up its pace of going global and expanded its partnership with countries along the Belt and Road; it is committed to opening up even more to the outside world as a modern coastal metropolis.
The theme of the inauguration ceremony was focused on celebrating Ningbo's unique identity and promoting citizenry pride. Nine individuals, hailing from Italy, Canada, the United Kingdom and many other parts of the world, received the title "overseas communication officer" at the ceremony. They have all worked and lived in Ningbo for many years and have a deep understanding and affection for the city. They are expected to become the link between Ningbo and the rest of the world, and are encouraged to play a unique role in spreading the narrative of Ningbo far and wide.
"Ningbo is a great place to work and meet new friends, and it is a great place to call home. Let's make sure that our global economic reach is matched by global awareness of who we are. It is a city that we need to shout about and talk about to others," said Peter Morgan, Associate Dean of the Business School of the University of Nottingham Ningbo China and one of the overseas communication officers.
A student choir from Georgia School Ningbo performed the popular Chinese song My Motherland, with some of the lyrics translated into Hebrew, Korean, and Portuguese, concluding the event on a heartwarming, positive note.
The Diverse Lives of the
Communication Officers
"Ningbo is the right place to set up business," said Erdem Ozturk from Turkey, who had been working in Ningbo for 8 years before starting his own business here. "I've always admired Ningbo for its deep port; it facilitates the way for trading," he noted. Then, he gave high praise for the city's enhanced cooperation with Central and East European countries, "The China-CEEC Expo under the Belt and Road Initiative brings overwhelming opportunities of exchanges. I registered my new company this year."
Nyameko from South Africa referred to Ningbo as "a city of inspiration". "Ningbo evokes my desire of writing," As an amateur writer, Nyameko explained, "Try to sit an afternoon through by the Moon Lake, feeling the calm breeze blowing across the crystalline waters. Then all of a sudden, inspiration would come to you." The open hearts and arms of the local people provide another source of ideas for his writings, "Folks here are welcoming, and are willing to share their personal stories with a foreign friend like me."
Seyedeh Sara Ahmadi Nishaboori, a young woman from Iran, was raised in Ningbo and speaks fluent Chinese. Sara has written a novel in Persian about growing up in Ningbo, drawing on her experiences from the past ten years. "I have recognized myself as a bridge of intercultural communication since senior high," she said, "And I find writing tales to be the best vehicle linking Ningbo to other parts of the world."
Communication Officers
Spreading the Word About Ningbo
"It has been great to go and deliver amazing views/pictures of Ningbo to my contacts on social media and to give talks sharing my experience. I love to see people's curiosity about Ningbo," As Peter Morgan sees it, Ningbo has many great tourist attractions, but they need better promotion. In fact, tourism could well be a central strategy in Ningbo's development. Morgan also emphasized the importance of continued protection for the city's many beautiful lakes. "Online, Ningbo needs to push itself higher—maybe that could be part of my role as an overseas communications officer. Then, Ningbo needs to consider the ways and channels (online and offline) for communicating its strengths and for promoting its city image."
Active in marketing, Italian Mattia Marchetti Aloisio's main job is to help Ningbo companies promote awareness for their brands on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other international platforms. His clients come from a wide range of industries, including sporting goods and consumer goods manufacturing. Many international users have liked, reposted, or commented on the content he helped his client create. His success has spawned many ongoing collaborations.
Erdem has a deep fondness for local delicacies such as niangao and tangyuan. But his favorite is yangmei jiu, sorghum liquor sweetened and flavored with fresh Chinese bayberries. He used to bring it back to Turkey. "My father is also a big fan of yangmei jiu and we make it at home every year. It has become a family tradition," Erdem believes food and beverages could be a key driving force behind Ningbo's effort to go global, "I would definitely recommend more of it to friends and family back home in Turkey."
Jason never thought he would get a chance to lead a company, but he made it in Ningbo. As a junior at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China, he is good at producing videos and founded a production studio with several friends. His startup has benefited greatly from supportive government policies and incubators. At present, it collaborates with many well-known Chinese-language platforms such as Zhihu and Bilibili. The number of their followers across all platforms now is over 30 million worldwide. "We have cooperated with government departments inviting overseas students to share their feelings and thoughts on living in Ningbo. These vlogs are expected to go live in May."
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