The First Chinese Language Day Observed at the UN Headquarters

The first Chinese Language Day at the United Nations was observed and celebrated on Friday at UN Headquarters in New York.

The event, launched by the UN Department of Public Information, aims to promote multilingualism, cultural diversity and the equal use of six official languages in the UN system, namely English, French, Russian, Spanish, Arabic and Chinese. CRI's correspondent Shen Ting filed the report.

Kiyotaka Akasaka, Under-Secretary-General for Public Information and Communications of the United Nations attended the event and delivered a short speech. He said the Chinese language was designated as one of the official languages of the United

Nations from its very beginning. It was one of the most ancient and widely spoken languages in the world - with well over one billion people speaking Chinese worldwide. He said he was delighted to draw attention to the beauty, history and cultural importance of the Chinese language.

Chinese Ambassador to the UN, Li Baodong, attached great importance to the First Chinese Language Day celebrated in the UN history.

"There are both Chinese and foreigners coming to this event today. It demonstrates more and more foreigners are showing great interest toward the development of China. I think today's celebration is very meaningful, as it displays the openness and inclusiveness of the Chinese culture."

Li Baodong said Chinese employees working in the UN are helping boost the influence of the Chinese language through their own ways.

"There are many Chinese employees working in the UN. They are spreading the Chinese culture through their own ways, introducing to others the Chinese history and the will of the Chinese people toward the peace, development and a harmonious world."

Li Baodong said he hopes the celebrations will further expand the influence of Chinese as an official language of the United Nations, and the celebrations will offer a window of opportunity for more people to meet and learn about the Chinese civilization and culture.

During the celebration ceremony, students from the Chinese Language Program of the UN recited a poem composed by the renowned Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai. Fabris Wowo, an American employee of the UN, is one of the students who started learning Chinese almost one year ago.

"I wanna something new, something I had no previous knowledge of. And what was in store for me was unprecedented. I've learnt so much about the history, the culture, the people and the language. As I learn on, I begin to learn more into the other aspects of China as a whole. So I'm looking forward to the experience."

The UN Singers, who recently travelled to the Shanghai World Expo to perform at the UN Pavilion, also presented a popular Chinese song Jasmine, winning rounds of applause from the audience.

Beginning next year, the annual Chinese Language Day at the United Nations will be observed on April 20.

For CRI, this is Shen Ting, from the UN Headquarters in New York.