Current Activities
Confucius Institute Dedication Activities
Now open in Nebraska Hall, UNL's new Confucius Institute was dedicated during activities Oct. 28-30, 2007.
That's when a delegation of officials from Xi'an Jiaotong University, UNL's partner in the Confucius Institute arrived. As many as seven officials from Xi'an Jiaotong University were expected, along with 12 students comprising a musical band. Additionally, officials from Hanban, the Chinese agency that funds Confucius Institutes worldwide, and officials from the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., attended. UNL's Confucius Institute is the 20th to open in the United States, and joins about 80 worldwide. October 30 was the opening ceremony at UNL Visitor's Center.
Quicktime Videos
Chinese Culture Week
September 28, 2009 - October 3, 2009
Chinese Folk Songs Concert, Luan Li, Soprano Artist in Residence accompanied by Michael Cotton on piano at UNL Kimball Hall, September 28, 2009
Reception celebrating the 30th anniversary of China-U.S. diplomatic relations, 60th anniversary of the establishment of People's Republic of China, and the 2nd anniversary of the establishment of UNL Confucius Institute, at UNL Van Brunt Visitors Center, September 30, 2009
UNL Senior Vice Chancellor Dr. Barbara Couture makes opening speech for the Reception.
Nebraska Secretary of State Mr. John A. Gale and the Director of World Language Education at the Nebraska Department of Education Ms. Vickie Scow.
Chinese Speech Competition, UNL City Campus Nebraska Union - Georgian Room, October 3, 2009
Contestant Hana McMahon-Cole and Chinese Speech Competition Judge Rebbecca Reinhart.
Contestants arrived to register for the Speech Competition.
Contestants are preparing their speeches.
Two contestants from O'Neil, Nebraska.
All prize winners of the Speech Competition, Judges and Confucius Institute Staff.
Chinese Folk Music Concert and Mid Autumn Festival Celebration Party, UNL City Campus Nebraska Union - Ballroom, October 3, 2009
LCCA Chinese traditional instruments performance.
OCCA Tibetan Dance.
OCCA Taiji Fan Dance.
Audience at the concert.
Confucius Institute Chinese Culture Week News Release
Chinese Calligraphy Exhibition
UNL Confucius Institute sponsored a Chinese Calligraphy Exhibition given by Zenghan Tong, a Chinese Ph.D. student in the department of Chemistry. The exhibition was held at the Rotunda Gallery in the Nebraska Union on UNL's city campus May 11 - 15, 2009.
Ms. Tong was born in the city of Suzhou, Jiangsu Province of China. After receiving her bachelor's degree in China, she came to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2005 to study and joined Professor David Hage's research group.
Ms. Tong has been passionate about Chinese calligraphy since a very young age. Her teacher, Master Dalin Zhu, a Professor at China Calligraphy College in Japan, currently also serves as the Vice Chairman of Suzhou Calligraphers Association and Vice President of Chinese Dongwu Seal Cutting Society.
Ms. Tong has been studying several categories of Chinese scripts: the Official Script (Li), the Regular Script (Kai), the Running Hand (Xing), and her favorite Tablet Inscriptions of the Northern Dynasties (Weibei).
2009 Tour of China for UNL Undergraduate Students
Confucius Institute's Chinese instructor Ms. Chunyan Ma lead a group of 5 UNL undergraduate students, Ciera Cappel, Thao Le, Whitney Schwandt, Paula Davis and Katrina Bucknell to China May 9 through June 2, 2009. This Chinese language and culture tour was sponsored by Hanban (The Office of Chinese Language Council International), Confucius Institute at UNL, and Xi'an Jiaotong University. The tour provided opportunities for participants to gain first-hand experiences in Chinese culture, learn Chinese, taste authentic Chinese food, and visit many historical and well-known tourist sites in and around the ancient cities of Xi'an and Beijing which include the Terra Cotta Soldiers Museum, the Great Wall, Forbidden City, and others.
2008 Chinese Language and Culture Tour for Nebraska Education Leaders
A group of 15 Nebraska education leaders just returned from a Chinese language and culture tour in China, October 26 to November 8. This tour was sponsored by a Chinese Bridge Fund from Hanban (The Office of Chinese Language Council International), a branch of Chinese Ministry of Education; Xi'an Jiaotong University (XJTU), the partner University of the UNL Confucius Institute; and UNL. Members of the group included Lincoln Superintendent Susan Gourley, Curricular Specialist Jami Holbein-Swanson, Director of Media Services Mary Reiman, Principals Bill Bucher and Susan Cassata from the Lincoln Public Schools (Lux Middle School and East High); Scottsbluff Superintendent Gary Reynolds, Principals Matthew Huck and Karen Johnson from the Scottsbluff Public Schools; Director of World Language Education Vicki Scow from the State of Nebraska; Dean of College of Education and Human Sciences at UNL Marjorie Kostelnik and Chairman of Education Administration Department Larry Dlugosh; and Confucius Institute Director David Lou, Associate Directors Susan Song (XJTU) and Rachel Zeng. Participants visited some schools and cultural sites in Xi'an and Beijing, two ancient cities in China; engage in discussions with officials, principals and school teachers in Chinese public school systems and attend seminars on Chinese language, history and culture.
Big 12 Confucius Institutes - Directors Meeting
The first Directors meeting of the Big 12 Confucius Institutes was held at UNL's Confucius Institute in Nebraska Hall on April 28, 2008. Those in attendance were William Tsutsui - Executive Director and Sheree Willis - Associate Director from The University of Kansas; Jessica Stowell - Associate Director from The University of Oklahoma; Evelyn Jacobson - Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, David Lou - Director, Rachel Zeng - Associate Director, and Yuxia Song - Associate Director from UNL. The purpose of the meeting was to identify common issues all Big 12 CI's are facing and possible solutions. Also to identify ways the Big 12 can work together and share resources in sponsoring Chinese cultural activities. A lunch was hosted by UNL's Senior Vice Chancellor Barbara Couture for Big 12 CI Directors and senior officials from University of Kansas and University of Texas at Austin.
Richard Lariviere-Provost at The University of Kansas,
Steven Leslie-Executive Vice President & Provost at The University
of Texas at Austin, William Tsutsui, Barbara Couture-Sr. Vice Chancellor
for Academic Affairs at UNL, Jessica Stowell, Evelyn Jacobson
2009 Spring Festival Celebration
The Lincoln Chinese Cultural Association (LCCA) held a Spring Festival Celebration on Sunday, February 22, from 12 noon to 4 pm at the AULD Pavilion (Recreation Center) in the Antelope Park (Between 27th and A. Street) at which the Confucius Institute was a co-sponsor. This event was in potluck style and the festive food "Tang Yuan" (rice dumplings) was also served for the occasion. There were performances by student dancers, children's singing group, and Chinese classical music group.
Introducing Chinese Language and Culture to Nebraska High School Students
Ms. Chunyan Ma and Ms. Lizhen Shi introducing Chinese language and culture to Nebraska high school students who participated in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures 33rd annual statewide Language Fair on March 12, 2009.
Beginning Chinese I - Inaugurating Classes
Ms. Lizhen Shi's Beginning Chinese I class who completed the course February 28, 2008.
Ms. Chunyan Ma's Beginning Chinese I class who completed the course March 3, 2008.
Ms. Juan Fan's FCC (families with adopted Chinese children) Beginning Chinese I class in Omaha, NE who completed the course April 26, 2008.
Summer Camp 2008
The Confucius Institute held a two week summer camp for kids where students learned Chinese culture, customs, language and martial arts. There were 14 students enrolled. On the last day of class the group took a field trip to the Lentz Center for Asian Culture.
