21st ‘Chinese Bridge’ Chinese Proficiency Competition for College Students Successfully Held in Dub

The Irish Final of 21st "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for College Students took place in the UCD Confucius Institute on 24 April 2022. The event was hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Ireland (Education Section) and organised by UCD Confucius Institute.

The event was attended by distinguished guests including Counsellor Mr. Huang Heof the Chinese Embassy to Ireland, Prof. Dolores O’Riordan, VP for Global Engagement at UCD, Ms. Song Ruoyun, First Secretary of Education Affairs of the Chinese Embassy to Ireland, Mr. Qi Zhang, Chief Correspondent from Xinhua News Agency Irish Bureau, Chinese Director of the UCC Confucius Institute Mr. Junyi Huang, Director and Chinese Director of the UCD Confucius Institute Prof. Liming Wang and Mr. Wei Zhang. The Chinese Bridge Competition has been held in Ireland for over ten years. It is an important platform for Chinese learners in Ireland to demonstrate their achievements of Chinese language and culture learning. This year's competition attracted a total of 19 contestants from University College Dublin, Trinity College Dublin, University College Cork, Maynooth University. Close to 80 audience and supporters watched the competition.         

The competition includes a preliminary and a final round. In the preliminary round, every contestant delivered a 90-second self-introduction and a free personal speech, followed by a 2-minute talent show. Eight outstanding contestants entered the final round. In the final, the contestants gave Chinese speeches on the theme of “One World, One Family” and answered questions from the judges. Their fluent Chinese speeches and heartful expression won rounds of warm applause from the audience and judges. The contestants showed their talent in forms of Chinese traditional arts such as Chinese songs, Chinese calligraphy, allegro and Irish traditional instrument bouzouki. All these turned the final into an audio-visual feast of Chinese language and Chinese culture.

After all day fierce competition, Anna Roth from UCC won the championship of this competition. Gemma Taylor from UCC and James Finnegan from UCD were awarded the second prize and Anh Phuong Nguyen from TCD, Joseph Clarke from NUI Maynooth and Saoirse Kelders from UCD won the third prize. Paulina Gryn-Jablonska and Clodagh Tucker from UCD won the Most Promising Prize. Counsellor Mr. Huang He, Prof. Dolores O’Riordan, the First Secretary Ms. Song Ruoyun, Prof. Liming Wang,  Professor Junyi Huang, Ms. Jie Zhang and Mr. Wei Zhang presented the prizes to the winners respectively.

After the awarding ceremony，Prof. Dolores O’Riordan and Counsellor Huang He addressed to the audience. Prof. Dolores O’Riordan said that  the event not only enhanced students' understanding of Chinese language and culture, but also stimulated students' enthusiasm and interests in learning Chinese.

Counsellor Huang He expressed his congratulations to all the prize winners and contestants firstly. In echoing the theme “One World, One Family”, he explained further that the Chinese people are delighted to make effort with the world to push forward a peaceful and prosperous community with a shared future for mankind.