Chinese New Year Marked

Concert in honour of marking the Chinese New Year and the Year of the Tiger was held on 31 January 2022 in the Concert Hall of „Banski dvor“ Cultural Centre in Banja Luka.

Rector of the University of Banja Luka Prof. Radoslav Gajanin, PhD, stated that the Confucius Institute is one of the links between the Republic of Srpska and China.

,,Thanks to the Confucius Institute, we will have a new study programme - Sinology, at which the Chinese language, traditions, culture and customs are going to be studied. We expect that from next year, the first generation of students to be enrolled.“, Gajanin said.

Minister of Education and Culture of the Republic of Srpska, Natalija Trivić, PhD, said that, as for cultural and educational cooperation between the RS and China, the Ministry is actively participating in the process of promoting Chinese in local schools.

„The Ministry has good cooperation with the Confucius Institute of the University of Banja Luka in the field of education and culture, and students in our schools in the Republic of Srpska are interested in elective studying of Chinese. Confucius Classroom was opened in the Banja Luka Grammar School, which is for the benefit of pupils and teachers of this school, who study Chinese language and culture in great conditions and thus gain new knowledge and experiences.“, she said.

University of Banja Luka Confucius Institute Home Director Ljiljana Stević, PhD, stated that the Year of the Tiger symbolizes courage, novelty, endurance and strength, adding that in this area there is a great interest in Chinese culture and language.

The concert was organized by the Confucius Institute of the University of Banja Luka in cooperation with the Academy of Arts and „Banski dvor“ Cultural Centre.

It was performed by the String Chamber Orchestra "Ban Svetislav Tisa Milosavljević" of "Banski dvor" Cultural Centre, String Chamber Orchestra of the Academy of Arts of the University of Banja Luka and Chamber Choir "Kerubini". The concert was conducted by Prof. Branka Radošević Mitrović, MA and Dušan V. Urošević, MA, with the actress Slađana Zrnić taking part in the programme.

The event was attended by numerous guests, among others: RS Minister of Scientific and Technological Development, Higher Education and Information Society Srđan Rajčević, MA, Minister of Transport and Communications Nedeljko Ćorić, and Chairman of the Council of Peoples Nada Tešanović. The concert was also attended by Vice-Rector for International and Interuniversity Cooperation of the University of Banja Luka Prof. Biljana Antunović, PhD, Vice-Rector for Material and Human Resources Prof. Dalibor Kesić, PhD, Secretary General of the University Đorđe Markez, MA, deans of the University faculties and others.

Chinese New Year, also called Spring Festival, is the most important holiday in China, celebrating the end of winter and the beginning of spring. It is based on the lunar calendar. It starts on the new moon, which appears between January 21 and February 20. This year, the Chinese New Year begins on the 1st and lasts until the 15th of February.