This is dedicated to all the CIers!

Over the past 20 years, Confucius Institutes have expanded from scratch to an influential presence, having gained remarkable achievements and success. This honor belongs to all CIers, as both the dreamers and achievers, pioneers and sustainers. Responding to the ever-growing demand for Chinese language learning, they have spread seeds of friendship and understanding worldwide. Their hard work has paid off over the years and their efforts have fueled the growth of the CI. The “CIers” series features pioneering CI directors who laid the foundation from the start, senior directors who served across continents on multiple occasions, advanced directors who began as volunteers and grew into leadership roles, students who pursued life dreams through learning Chinese, and local teachers who transformed from CI students to torch-bearers of international Chinese education. Every CIer’s experience is a unique legend. The series is dedicated to every CIer advancing with love along the way. Together, let us embark on this extraordinary storytelling journey. We extend heartfelt gratitude to the CI partners and Confucius Institutes at home and abroad involved in creating this series. The story of CIers is unfolding.

In 2024, the Confucius Institute brand celebrates its 20th anniversary!Over the past 20 years, the people of CIs around the world have remained committed and persevered, forging ahead with fortitude to provide the best platform for global Chinese language learners and enthusiasts of Chinese culture. They have created a vital window to present an accurate, multidimensional and panoramic image of China for people across the globe. Furthermore, they have played a crucial role in promoting cultural exchanges between China and other countries and fostering mutual understanding between the Chinese people and the international community. Let us listen together to the remarkable stories of “At 20th, the Confucius Institute Is in Its Prime”!

The extraordinary 20-year journey of the Confucius Institute would not have been possible without the selfless dedication of the people of CI. The Chinese directors are not only the navigators and helmsmen of the Institutes but also serve as the “parents” of this big family. Together with countless Chinese teachers and volunteers who ventured overseas with their ideals, they have planted the seeds of mutual understanding in every corner of the world, allowing the blossoms of friendships to flourish through Chinese language education.

Introduction: Looking back, we met through “chasing the light,” experiencing together the charm of the Chinese language and the richness of diverse cultures. Looking ahead, we will continue to stride towards the light, moving steadily into a bright future. The 2025 Online Chinese Lunar New Year Gala of Confucius Institutes, with the theme of “light,” sincerely invites CIs worldwide to tell their stories of through language, showcase their splendor through art, and present a cultural audio-visual feast that highlights the harmonious exchange of Chinese and foreign cultures. Together, we will celebrate the Spring Festival that belongs to all members of the global Confucius Institute community!

To further promote the development of information technology, digitalization, and intelligent systems of Confucius Institutes, and to enhance the joint construction and sharing of the Confucius Institute’s online platform and digital resources, the Chinese International Education Foundation (CIEF) is launching a public call for submissions of digital resources from September 2024 to March 2025.

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Confucius Institute (CI), the Chinese International Education Foundation (CIEF) has initiated the “Collection Event Themed upon the 20th Anniversary of the Confucius Institute.” This event involves two sectors: videos and articles. We would like to hereby extend our sincere invitation to all the faculty and students from CIs around the world.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Confucius Institute Brand. On this special occasion, to promote the standardization in brand management and development, and to fulfill the goal of achieving sustainable and high-quality development for Confucius Institutes worldwide, the Chinese International Education Foundation (CIEF) has officially released the first batch of terms for the Confucius Institute Brand (Chinese-English).

From July 4th to 5th, 2024, the 2024 Joint Conference of Confucius Institutes and Independent Confucius Classrooms in Central and Eastern Europe, organized by the Chinese International Education Foundation (CIEF) and co-organized by Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) and its Confucius Institute in Hungary, was successfully held. More than 100 people from 19 countries attended the conference, among whom are the Chinese and local Directors of 35 Confucius Institutes and 4 Independent Confucius Classrooms, and representatives of the Chinese and local hosts of the CIs and CCs.

The 2024 Joint Conference of Confucius Institutes in Africa, jointly organized by Chinese International Education Foundation (CIEF), University of Nairobi (UoN) and the Confucius Institute at University of Nairobi (CIUoN), commenced on May 30th, 2024. Themed upon “at 20th, the Confucius Institute is in its prime,” this joint conference, titled “Promoting Localization, Development, Collaboration and Innovation of African Confucius Institutes”, is one of the series events to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the founding of Confucius Institute (CI). Nearly 400 people attended the opening ceremony, including representatives from Ministry of Education of Kenya, Ministry for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs of Kenya, Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), Teachers Service Commission (TSC) of Kenya, Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC), Confucius Institutes and Classrooms in Africa, partners of CIUoN, and Chinese-funded enterprises. The ceremony features speeches of prominent attendees, including Yang Wei, President of the CIEF; Aurelia Chepkirui Rono, Principal Secretary for the State Department for Parliamentary Affairs within the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary (OPCS); Zhou Pingjian, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Kenya; Stephen Kiama Gitahi, Vice-Chancellor of UoN; and Zhong Yinghua, Chair of the International Society for Chinese Language Teaching.

On May 23rd, the Second Forum of Directors of the Confucius Institutes in Spain was held at the University of Valencia. The opening ceremony featured speeches by Zhang Junli, Deputy Secretary-General of the Chinese International Education Foundation (CIEF); Yu Yunfeng, Director-General of the Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC) of the Ministry of Education; José Antonio Calañas, Dean of the Faculty of Philology, Translation and Communication at the University of Valencia; and Xu Haiyang, President of Northeast Normal University. Chinese and local directors from 9 Confucius Institutes and 1 Confucius Classroom in Spain attended the Forum.

On May 21st, the Conference of Directors of Confucius Institutes in Francophone Countries of Europe was held at the Institut Confucius de Bretagne in France. Zhang Junli, Deputy Secretary-General of the Chinese International Education Foundation (CIEF), was invited to attend and delivered a speech. Flora Lichaa, Board Chair of the Institut Confucius de Bretagne and Associate Professor of the Department of Chinese Studies at Rennes 2 University, Ma Xiaole, Dean of the College of International Education at Shandong University, and 26 Chinese and local Directors from 15 CIs in France and Belgium participated in the conference.

The 2024 CI Moments Global Short Video Collection Event is now initiating for a new year. We hereby invite all Clers and Chinese enthusiasts from all over the world to capture your marvelous moments with the Cl and the Chinese language in short videos. This is your chance to share your fascinating stories of how the Chinese language connects the world and facilitates dialogues between diverse cultures. In 2024, we extend this heartfelt invitation to all to continue sharing your Chinese journey and capturing the charm of the CI with your cameras. We are going to introduce new themed sections, submission modes, and awards while offering guidance for participants throughout this event. We look forward to your participation!

The Chinese Lunar New Year means the sound of firecrackers and the warmth of the spring breeze. Year after year, we look back into the past and forward into the future in celebrations, prays, and expectations. Time has ticked into the year 2024, denoting that we have been accompanying the Confucius Institute for two decades. Two decades mark the growth rings on the trunk profile of a tree, a scroll about youthfulness drawn by the CI people with Chinese character strokes and the echoing “Never Forget the Past Two Decades” symphony of the Confucius Institutes worldwide. On the 20th anniversary of the Confucius Institute, let’s review how we started our journey of learning Chinese, growing for a better future, and pursuing our dreams. On the 20th anniversary of the Confucius Institute, let’s talk freely about the beautiful future that will bring us a forever-bright starry sky. At this moment, let’s start our celebration for the 20th anniversary of the Confucius Institute, an age of adolescence, with an audio-visual feast online!