From January 16 to 26, 2025, at the invitation of the Confucius Institute of WUT, the University of Lorraine, and several other Confucius Institutes in France and Belgium, representatives from WUT’s Youth League Committee, along with the Student Art Troupe, traveled to Europe for a series of performances and cultural exchanges. Representatives from the governments of Metz and Savern, leaders from the University of Lorraine, heads of the relevant Confucius Institutes, and representatives of local overseas Chinese attended the performances and related events.

On January 18, the art troupe performed at the 2025 Chinese New Year celebration event jointly organized by the Confucius Institute at the University of Lorraine and the Metz government in France. They presented a series of traditional and ethnic minority dances, such as "Picking the Pea Shoots", "The Paper Fan Scholar", "Spirit", and "After the Rain", alongside other Chinese artists, offering the audience a captivating showcase of Chinese performing arts. After the show, Mr. François Grosdidier, the Mayor of Metz, presented a wooden sculpture representing the city to the Confucius Institute and took a photo with the art troupe members. During the event, the Confucius Institute also arranged cultural experience activities for local residents, including tea art, Chinese painting, calligraphy, Chinese chess, and a language corner. Members of the art troupe interacted with French citizens, showcasing the unique charm of Chinese traditional culture and celebrating the arrival of the Chinese New Year together.

Ms. Anne Dussain-Weitzman, Deputy Mayor of Metz, delivered a speech in which she stated that the Spring Festival is a time for family reunions and celebrations. She expressed gratitude to the Confucius Institute and WUT for bringing the people of Metz an opportunity to appreciate traditional Chinese culture and its developmental achievements. She also hoped to continue strengthening friendships and promoting exchanges. Mr. Pierre Degott, Vice President of the University of Lorraine, thanked the Confucius Institute for its relentless efforts in cultural exchange. He also expressed his appreciation to the faculty and students of WUT for their dedication in traveling to France for the performances. He emphasized the importance of continuing to reinforce this bridge of understanding and mutual learning and wished everyone a happy New Year.

From January 19 to 21, the art troupe visited the Confucius Institute at the University of Lorraine and performed at the Metz and Nancy campus libraries of the university. They introduced traditional Chinese festivals and culture, such as the Spring Festival, to the faculty and students, receiving a warm welcome from the audience.

From January 22 to 23, the art troupe visited the Confucius Institute in Saverne, France, and participated in the "2025 Year of the Snake Gala Concert" organized by the Confucius Institute and the Chinese Association of Alsace. They performed alongside the "Art Realm Chamber Orchestra" from the Central Conservatory of Music, student groups from Nanjing University, and Saverne students from the Confucius Institute in Alsace. The performance received high praise from Pan Yumin, the Consul General of the Chinese Consulate in Strasbourg, who expressed hope that the university would organize more delegations for cultural exchanges in France.

From January 24 to 26, the art troupe performed in Liège, Belgium, visiting the Confucius Institute in Liège and the Confucius Institute at the ESCE Business School, where they performed as well. The troupe was warmly welcomed by the local Chinese community, who expressed, "With you here, we truly feel the spirit of the New Year. We hope you can come again next year."

This visit and performance tour by the WUT's Student Art Troupe across multiple European countries showcased the vibrant spirit and exceptional artistic talent of the WUT students. It also served as a valuable bridge for the WUT's continued involvement in cultural exchanges between China and Europe, marking an important "WUT chapter" in telling the "Chinese story" effectively.

Written by：Cao Jianshu

Rewritten by: Gong Mengting

Edited by: Wang Jingjing, Li Tiantian, Li Huihui

Source: International Office