Daily Times

Islamabad: China Radio International (CRI) – Millennium Confucius Classroom Saturday organised a conference on ‘Connecting Cultures through Confucius Classroom’ to sensitise school leaders to the Millennium Schools’ Chinese Language initiative and its perspective, defining best curriculum and publishing practices and glorious journey of Millennium Chinese Language Department (MCLD) spanning to nearly a decade now at the Roots Millennium Schools One World Campus E-11/4, Islamabad.

The vision of the CRI-Roots Millennium colloquium was to introduce an engaging and authentic perspective into the Confucius Classroom and bring the vibrant and enchanting experience to life. The MCLD hosted the event with some of the prestigious personalities of Pakistan. The enviable line up of guest speakers included Former ambassador to Singapore and NUST Chinese Studies Director Syed Hasan Javed, NUST Chinese Studies Deputy Director Zamir Ahmed Awan, Pak China Institute Executive Director Mustafa Haider Syed, China Radio International Confucius Classroom Pakistan Director Chen Xiang and Millennium Chinese Language Initiative Founder Chaudhry Faisal Mushtaq.

Chen Xiang expressed his views about Confucius Classroom initiative and the bilateral relationship between Pakistan and China. “It is the era of China and Chinese Language. The Chinese language and cultural programmes gives RMS students and classroom direct access to China culture and language. These programmes help students introduce an authentic and engaging perspective into the classroom and bring the vibrant and enchanting Chinese experience to life. Confucius Classroom Colloquium will enrich the Chinese language learning experience and will help bring the Chinese culture alive in the classroom and assemblies.”

The MCLD under the leadership and vision of Chaudhry Faisal Mushtaq had launched the unique Chinese Language School Initiative seven and a half years ago. CRI-Roots Millennium Confucius Classroom offers Chinese language classes across the Roots Millennium Schools with the aim of allowing students to speak and write Chinese as proficiently as possible.

The MCLD has 18 full time teachers and nearly 8,500 students are learning Chinese language there. This has promoted cultural, social, business and educational opportunities among China and Pakistan for the benefit of future generations.

Published in Daily Times, January 28^th 2018.