BCI Community Comes Together for a Festive End-of-Year Celebration

The Business Confucius Institute (BCI) brought students, friends, family members and members of the local community together on Saturday 18 July for a joyful End of Academic Year Party, celebrating another successful year of learning, cultural exchange and friendship.

Held at the University of Leeds, the event offered a relaxed and welcoming space for attendees to reflect on the past year while enjoying a range of Chinese cultural activities, games and refreshments.

Guests enjoyed a selection of Chinese and Western snacks while catching up with classmates and meeting new faces. Throughout the afternoon, visitors had the opportunity to immerse themselves in Chinese culture through a variety of hands-on activities.

Friendly competition unfolded around the Mahjong table as experienced players introduced newcomers to the classic Chinese game. The calligraphy station was equally popular, with participants practising Chinese brush-writing techniques and creating their own pieces of artwork to take home. while the traditional music station invited guests to experiment with the elegant sounds of the guzheng and the rhythmic beats of the Chinese drum.

The celebrations concluded with a screening of the acclaimed Chinese martial arts film House of Flying Daggers, providing the perfect opportunity to relax and enjoy one final cultural experience together.

The event was also a special moment for the BCI community to say goodbye and express gratitude to four of our Chinese teachers – Yingying, Qingyuan, Zixuan and Jiahui – who have played an important role in supporting our students throughout the academic year. Their enthusiasm, dedication and passion for sharing Chinese language and culture have made a lasting impact on many learners, and they will be greatly missed by colleagues and students alike.

As one academic year comes to a close, the party was a reminder of the strong sense of community that makes BCI so special. We would like to thank everyone who joined us for the celebration and helped make it such an enjoyable afternoon.

We wish Yingying, Qingyuan, Zixuan and Jiahui all the very best for the future and look forward to welcoming both returning and new students to BCI events and Mandarin courses in the coming year.

Here's to another year of learning, friendship and cultural exchange at the Business Confucius Institute! 🎉