(International) Newsletter: Sending blessings with songs - British primary school students singing Songs of the Beijing Winter Olympics

London, January 17 (Xinhua) -- Sending blessings with songs - British primary school students sang songs for the Beijing Winter Olympics

Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Dailei

At the beginning of 2020, the Milburn Primary School Choir in Northern Ireland, England, sang the song "Let the World Be Full of Love" with Chinese, cheering for China's fight against the new crown epidemic and touching many people. A few days ago, the children of this primary school sent blessings to the Beijing Winter Olympics by recording and singing winter Olympic songs.

Milburn Primary School, in collaboration with the Confucius Institute at the University of Ooster in Northern Ireland, has set up a Confucius Classroom at the primary school, and about 400 students have been learning about Chinese and Chinese culture in recent years. Every year, the elementary school choir learns two Chinese songs. After the start of the new semester in September last year, teachers and students chose two songs of their own, including the Beijing Winter Olympics song "Meet in Beijing 2022".

According to reports, the children of the choir first learned the meaning of the lyrics through english translation. After weeks of practice, they learned to sing the song in Chinese and were able to use Chinese to utter the Olympic motto "Faster, higher, stronger — more united."

In the Confucius Classroom, students expressed their love for sports such as curling, ice hockey, short track speed skating, and Chinese athletes such as Gu Ailing and Wu Dajing. Many children also made Posters with the Theme of the Winter Olympics, using colorful paintbrushes to depict their expectations for the Beijing Winter Olympics.

Fiona McGrath, head of teaching at the Confucius Institute at Ooster University, told reporters that many of the teachers and students at Milburn Primary School are sports fans, and the topic they have discussed most recently in class and outside of class is the Beijing Winter Olympics. "Choosing to learn to sing 'Meet in Beijing 2022' is to express my blessings for the Beijing Winter Olympics."

Millburn Primary School Sharon Lamont said that "the Beijing Winter Olympics will be a wonderful experience for delegations and athletes from all over the world", and she and the teachers and students of the school will continue to fully support China's hosting of the Winter Olympics and believe that China will hold a successful event.

According to reports, in addition to Milburn Primary School, teachers and students from more than 60 primary and secondary schools in Northern Ireland have sent blessings to the Beijing Winter Olympics through Confucius Classroom. Tim Rusty, Director of International Relations at the Northern Ireland Administrative Office, said sport can contribute to building and improving relationships. The Beijing Winter Olympics is a common event for mankind and helps to build a better future together.

The Confucius Institute at the University of Ooster is the only Confucius Institute in Northern Ireland, cooperating with 160 local large, medium, and small schools, with an average of nearly 20,000 Chinese learners per year. At the beginning of 2020, the new crown epidemic spread in China, and many British schools, including Milburn Primary School, cooperated with the Confucius Institute at the University of Ooster, cheered for Wuhan and China in different forms.

From 'Let the World Be Full of Love' two years ago to today's Winter Olympic songs, children in Northern Ireland schools have been learning Chinese through Confucius Classrooms and have been paying attention to China. They convey the voice of friendship between the British and Chinese peoples. McGrath said. (End)