The past, the present and the future of Hellenic Studies in China was the subject of the two-days Forum, which took place for the first time in December 1st-2nd, 2011. [grpressbeijing.com]

The past, the present and the future of Hellenic Studies in China was the subject of the two-days forum, which took place for the first time in December 1st –2nd, 2011, organized by the Centerfor Hellenic Studies of Peking University and the Embassy of Greece in Beijing, with the contribution of the Peking University Centerfor Classical Studies, and highlighted the importance of Greek thought quality in its diachronic aspect and as an angle of understanding the past and the future.

With the participation of many Chinese Hellenists and university professors, of friends of Greece and of its civilization, coming from universities all over China (Peking University, Tsinghua, Renmin, Nankai, Fudan, Beijing Academy of Social Sciences) issues and studies on Ancient Greek and Byzantine History and Philosophy, of Ancient Drama, of Ancient and Modern Greek Language Teaching, and of translations of Greek authors to Chinese.

In the brilliant opening ceremony of the forum, held in the historic library of Peking University, the Ambassador of Greece in China, Mr. Theodore Georgakelos, the Director of History Department of the University, Mr. Gao Yi, the former Ambassador of PRC in Greece, Mr. Yang Guansheng, and the General Director for International Cooperation of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Mr. Xu Yongji, addressed the audience. Besides, a letter by Ms. Karmen Konstantakopolou, who along with late captain Vassilis Konstantakopoulos kindly sponsored since December 1st, 2000, the Greek Studies Department in Beijing, contributing to the study of Greek civilization and to the creation of mutually beneficial cooperation frameworks, was read out at the forum.

In his speech at the beginning of the forum, the Ambassador of Greece in China, Mr. Theodore Georgakelos, expressed his joy for the continuous teaching of Greek language in China now for 11 years and referred to those, who promoted the idea of Greek Studies in China, the sponsor Captain Vassilis Konstantakopoulos, the then Vice Rector of Peking University and current Vice Minister of Education in China, Mr. Hao Ping, and the then Ambassador of PRC in Greece, Mr. Yang Guansheng.

Mr. Georgakelos stressed that main target of Hellenic Studies Centers remains the very high level of education and the future of the studies, as young students will be educated in Greece, and added that this first forum offers to Chinese Hellenists the chance to meet each other, to exchange views and ideas and plan the future.

Finally, the ambassador thanked on behalf of Greece all the Chinese academics for their life-long efforts, and expressed certainty that the young generation, which follows, will enhance the cultural and education ties for the future of our countries.

Chinese Hellenists and university professors participated in the forum. [grpressbeijing.com]

The Greek studies in China and the special features of Greek language teaching were presented by Ms. Elena Avramidou, who is in charge of the cultural department of the Greek Embassy in Beijing, and participated actively in the organization of the forum.

It is worthy to mention that the former Ambassador of PRC in Greece, Mr. Yang Guansheng, said that "Greek people shoulder the historic burden to face the crisis of every period, and to create consequently strong character: Greek people love strongly and hate the evil", while Professor of Foreign Languages University Luoyang, Ms. Xu Kai, concluding her presentation on Greek language, said: "after 45 years of contact with Greek language, if there were life after death, I wish I were be again Chinese, I would study again the Greek language and I would continue my relation with the Greek language, for which life-long love is not enough".

Honoring those who cement communication between the two cultural traditions, in the vast Dragon Land, the Embassy of Greece in Beijing awarded with a special tablet 40 Chinese Professors, for their pure love for Greek civilization and Greek language – "Small Language, Great World", as Liu Ruihong, the famous translator Hellenist Leonidas stressed in his speech.

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