VALPARAISO | Valparaiso University President Alan Harre concluded his remarks at the opening Wednesday of the university's Confucius Institute by saying "thank you" in Chinese.
His counterpart, Ruifeng Xiao, vice president of Zhejiang University of Technology, concluded his by saying "thank you" in English.
The reciprocal reaching out reflected the goal of the cultural learning and exchange initiative they had come to inaugurate.
The two academics also exchanged signatures in a ceremonial signing of documents establishing a Confucius Institute, one of a handful of non-profit centers established and funded by the Chinese government to promote cultural, business, educational, artistic and government exchanges.
After the signing, dancers, musicians and acrobats of the Zhejiang Butterfly Performing Troupe dressed in colorful silks entertained the invitation-only audience.
VU language professor Jianyun Meng, who will serve as director of the center, said Confucius asked over 2,000 years ago, "Isn't it delightful to have friends from afar?"
"It is delightful," he said to laughter and applause.
Meng compared the new venture to a fortunate child with two culturally different but very caring parents.
In linking two great nations, the institute would be three things, Meng said. It would be a classroom for language, art and music. It would be a window to expose Americans to many facets of Chinese culture and history. And it would be a bridge to facilitate two-way exchanges in business, the arts and other areas.
VU English professor John Ruff spoke of sharing classical Chinese poetry with students along the lake in the southern Chinese city of Hangzhou when he directed VU's study abroad program there in 2006. Ruff called his learning experience there life-changing both personally and intellectually.
If you go
A concert featuring:
-- Zhejiang Butterfly Performing Troupe
-- Valparaiso University Symphony Orchestra
-- local concert band Windiana
7:30 p.m. today
Free and open to the public
Chapel of the Resurrection
Valparaiso University
Zhejiang Butterfly Performing Troupe also will perform at 2 p.m. Saturday, Memorial Opera House, Valparaiso
