China’s education minister unveils gift to UM

China’s Ministry of Education unveiled its gift, “The Wall of Great Wisdom,” to the University of Macau yesterday, symbolizing the university’s effort to promote Chinese traditions, culture, and virtues.

The sculpture bears UM’s university motto and represents its goal to produce graduates with “great knowledge and great character,” the university informed in a statement.

During a visit to Macau, Chen Baosheng, China’s Minister of Education, said that the “Wall of Great Wisdom” also conveys the high expectations of the central government for the university, adding that it represents new requirements for UM members.

Chen also recalled that in 1985, the Ministry of Education gave the “Nine Dragon Wall” to UM as a gift which conveyed the hope for the university’s fast development with the support of the local community and the central government.

Meanwhile, UM rector Yonghua Song explained the design of the Wall of Great Wisdom, noting that the inscription of traditional values conveys the expectation that UM will promote fine Chinese traditions and culture.

On the same day, the unveiling ceremony for the Confucius Institute at UM was officiated.

The Confucius Institute at UM has the unique advantage of being located in a multilingual and multicultural society that is a special administrative region to which a special political system applies, UM noted.

The institute will make full use of this advantage to pursue international collaboration, especially with Portuguese-speaking countries, in Chinese language teaching, learning, and teacher training.

It also aims to establish a communication platform to promote such collaboration.