Magtymguly Turkmen State University (TSU) marked International Chinese Language Day, which is held annually on 23 April at the initiative of the UN. The festival was organised by the university in collaboration with the Chinese Embassy, according to IIC of Turkmenistan.

An exhibition dedicated to Chinese culture was opened at the university, featuring national costumes, calligraphy, paintings, decorative and applied arts, and educational materials. Masterclasses on printmaking and paper cutting were also held.

Welcoming speeches were delivered by TSU Rector Orazgeldi Ovezsahedov and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Turkmenistan, Ji Shumin, who emphasised the importance of language exchange for the development of cultural ties.

Students from the Faculty of Oriental Languages organised a concert featuring songs in Chinese and Turkmen, as well as theatrical performances about Mulan and tea-drinking traditions. The event concluded with the ‘Kushtdepdi’ dance.

The celebration was held to commemorate Cangjie, the legendary creator of Chinese writing. The Chinese language remains one of the oldest and is among the official languages of the UN.