On September 28, the 7th International Cultural Festival of Harbin Engineering University was held in Harbin Engineering South Stadium.

    YU Zhiwen, member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Vice President of the CPC Committee, attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech, saying that further promoting the opening up and cooperation of high-level education is an important task of the new round of "double first-class" construction, and the university actively expands exchanges and cooperation with countries around the world, and continuously deepens the quality and level of higher education opening up to the world. This year, it has passed the recertification of the quality of higher education for international students in China with excellent performance, which has laid a firm foundation for strengthening the brand of "Study in HEU". The International Cultural Festival is a platform created by HEU to showcase the charm of multiculturalism and cultivate cross-cultural communication skills, hoping to make positive contributions to supporting the opening up of China’s higher education to the world with higher quality by enhancing understanding, promoting friendship and deepening cooperation.

    The attendees of the opening ceremony were the heads of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Heilongjiang Provincial Government, the Heilongjiang Longjiang Opera Art Center, Harbin Yuhong Primary School, as well as the teachers and students of more than ten universities, including Beijing Institute of Technology, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Lanzhou University, Southwest Medical University, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Jiamusi University, Heihe University, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin Normal University, Harbin Railway Vocational College, Northeast Forestry University, Northeast Agricultural University, Heilongjiang University, Heilongjiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

    In September this year, the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in 2024 was successfully held. Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China delivered the keynote address, "Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a Community with a Shared Future". For a long time, guided by the concept of "building a community with a shared future for mankind," Harbin Engineering University has been committed to turning the International Cultural Festival into a platform for mutual understanding, tolerance, common progress, and harmony. At the festival, students from over 60 countries and regions, including international students and Chinese students, gathered together to sing and dance, taste delicious food, and experience non-heritage culture, promoting cultural exchanges.

    The festival featured 45 national feature exhibition zones and 10 exhibition zones showcasing non-heritage culture in Heilongjiang Province. Students carried their stamp collection books and embarked on a "cultural journey".

    The traditional dance of Turkmenistan, "Lezginka", and the lively dance of Samoa instantly lit up the stage. The tropical charm of Southeast Asian dances, the elegant and romantic European dances, the traditional Chinese dance "Yi Fei Yi", and the dances performed by international students from other universities were all presented, making the event a miniature "World Expo".

    The International Education Exhibition invited overseas universities from the UK, Australia, Singapore, and Thailand, providing a platform for students to exchange with overseas universities. Representatives from different countries and regions introduced the unique features, course settings, and advantages of their universities to teachers and students, offering one-stop services including language training, academic background enhancement, and study planning.

    The delicious food prepared by international students from various countries added a touch of unforgettable fragrance to the cultural festival.

    The craftsmen from the Heilongjiang Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition area brought many "influencer"-level intangible cultural heritage handicrafts to the cultural festival, adding an infinite surprise to the event.

    At the cultural festival, students experienced cultural shocks and conducted friendly exchanges.

    This is the second time that doctoral student CAI Rui from the School of Intelligence has participated in the International Cultural Festival. "I always invite a few of my good friends to come along. We exchange cultural experiences with foreign friends, build friendships, watch performances with exotic styles, and taste many delicious foods. Every corner of this place is filled with joy and laughter."

    "At the French pavilion, I learned some simple greetings and communicated with French classmates, experiencing the charm of the romantic language, French for the first time." said NIU Taiyu, a 2022 undergraduate student from the School of Computer Science, "This cultural festival has made me realize that all cultures in the world have their unique charm."

    YOU Yixing, a Moroccan international student of the CICE, brought the local delicacy from his hometown. "We can experience the culture of different countries here and taste the food from their countries. We also brought the disserts that are characteristic of our country, which we often eat during festivals. These treats are usually made by our mothers."

    Chinese and foreign students sang "Your Answer" together under the warm sunshine, and the song deeply moved YUAN Xiaoyu, a 2023 postgraduate student from the School of Foreign Languages, "Despite our different nationalities, regions, and appearances, our love for culture and pursuit of ideals are so consistent, weaving a beautiful vision of 'harmony in diversity, a better world' together."