On the morning of July 13, the opening ceremony of the 2026 BCU-University of San Marino Confucius Institute "Chinese Bridge" Summer Camp was grandly held at Beijing City University (BCU). International participants from San Marino gathered on campus to officially embark on a two-week immersive Chinese language learning and Chinese cultural experience journey. Li Xuemeng, Deputy Director of International Affiars Office, attended the ceremony and delivered a speech. Chinese volunteer teachers and all camp participants jointly took part in the event. Ma Xinkai, the International Student Program Coordinator, hosted the ceremony.
Li Xuemeng, on behalf of BCU, extended a warm welcome to the faculty and students from San Marino. She introduced that BCU partnered with the University of San Marino in 2015 to jointly establish the Confucius Institute. Since 2017, BCU has specifically developed the "Chinese Bridge" summer camp program for Confucius Institute students, which has been operating steadily for many years. Building upon the mature platform of the jointly-established Confucius Institute, BCU has refined a distinctive curriculum system that integrates Chinese language learning, cultural experience, urban study tours, and practical exchanges, tailored to the learning characteristics and study needs of overseas youth. She encouraged all participants to cherish this valuable study opportunity, to immerse themselves in experiencing the rich heritage of traditional Chinese culture and the unique charm of Beijing—a city where ancient and modern coexist. She hoped that through learning and exchange, they would broaden their international perspectives and forge cross-border friendships, becoming young ambassadors of China-San Marino(China-Italy) cultural exchange and laying a solid youth foundation for the friendly cooperation between the two universities.
Liu Xiaoyu, a volunteer teacher of International Chinese Language Education, delivered a speech. Drawing on her frontline experience in teaching Chinese, she encouraged the students to make the most of this on-site study opportunity—to solidify their language foundation in the classroom and to perceptively experience the real China through extracurricular activities. She urged them to actively communicate and explore, so that they would gain knowledge and achieve personal growth through the enriching itinerary.
Dafne, a student representative, took the stage to share her excitement and high expectations upon arriving in China. She expressed that she has always had a deep love for the Chinese language and traditional Chinese culture, and has long aspired to come to China to experience its unique cultural charm in person. She felt greatly honored to participate in this "Chinese Bridge" summer camp and to study at BCU. She pledged to devote herself wholeheartedly to the courses and cultural experience activities, to actively communicate with Chinese faculty and students, to study diligently and reflect thoughtfully, and to cherish this valuable cross-border study opportunity, gaining knowledge and sincere friendships.
Gao Shiqi, a student volunteer representative from the English program, spoke on behalf of all volunteers. She extended a warm welcome to the international participants and promised that all volunteers would provide full companionship and service support throughout the program. She expressed her hope that Chinese and international youth would help each other and communicate sincerely, using language as a medium and culture as a bridge to enhance mutual understanding and friendship through interaction.
This "Chinese Bridge" summer camp is an important initiative for BCU to deepen its international approach to education and to promote exchanges and mutual learning among young people from China and other countries. Over the next two weeks, participants will experience the multifaceted charm of China—where tradition and modernity coexist—through a diverse range of courses and study activities. Young people from China and San Marino will join hands across mountains and seas, building a bridge of friendship for mutual understanding with the power of youth and writing a new chapter in cross-cultural exchange.
