Xavier University of Louisiana Confucius Institute to Represent China at the World’s Fair at Louisiana Children’s Museum on May 11, 2013

Xavier University of Louisiana Confucius Institute, in collaboration with Sandra Pierre-Kazi, President & CEO of New Orleans Worldwide Concepts Vacations, to represent China at the World’s Fair at Louisiana Children’s Museum on May 11, 2013.

The Confucius Institute will present Four Great Inventions of China, including compass, paper making, print making, and gun power, in line with this year’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) theme of the World’s Fair. 

In addition to text, illustrations, and interactive sessions on these four inventions, there will be demonstrations on Chinese calligraphy and painting, and paper making.  A Chinese abacus training and contest (as well as prizes) will be held during the event, too.  Visitors are encouraged to taste sesame balls, spring rolls, and fortune cookies as part of food tasting. 

There will be lanterns, bookmarks, dragon masks, zodiac wheel, quizzes, and balloons to enrich the various activities.   Chinese dancing, instrumental art, and vocal art will be performed at the World’s Fair.

Xavier University of Louisiana Students Attending Summer Camp in China in May 2013

Xavier University of Louisiana will send a group of 10 students, who have studied or are currently studying Mandarin Chinese, to China in May 2013.  They will visit Beijing and Baoding, the city where Xavier’s partner school Hebei University is located.   Students will further receive intensive Chinese language training in China, and gain exposure to Chinese culture and history, such as attending seminars on folk music, painting, history, culture, calligraphy, and paper cutting.  In addition, they will visit the Forbidden City, Tian’anmen Square, Confucius Institute Headquarters, and the Great Wall in or near Beijing, and a famous stone tomb of the Han dynasty (2nd century BCE) and the governor’s mansion of the Qing dynasty (19th dynasty) in Baoding.  Students will also have the opportunity to interact with students of Hebei University, and enjoy Chinese food.  They will learn Taichi and appreciate theatrical art. 

The cost in China, including food, lodging, cultural excursions, and transportations, will be covered by Confucius Institute Headquarters.  Most students also receive financial aid from the Confucius Institute to cover their international travel.  Their departure is on May 14, and return to campus on May 29.  During their stay in China, students will be led by Ms. Shu Peng, Administrative Specialist at the Confucius Institute as well as a former Mandarin teacher at Xavier in Spring 2011.  Dr. Lori Crawford of the College of Pharmacy will join the trip too.