New Zealand Chinese Language Week 2023 - Connecting Through Culture

Connecting through culture is the theme of this year’s New Zealand Chinese Language Week Sunday September 17 to Saturday 23 September 2023.

Established to encourage New Zealanders to learn more about Chinese language and culture, New Zealand Chinese Language Week is in its 9th year and Chairperson Jo Coughlan is encouraging anyone with an interest in China and Chinese languages to get involved.

Schools, businesses and community groups have events underway to celebrate NZCLW (New Zealand Chinese Language Week) around the country. Teaching assistants from China have arrived back in New Zealand and are working with schools through the Confucius Institutes, providing a welcome boost to schools’ language learning efforts.

“It’s been hugely rewarding to see participation in NZCLW grow over the past nine years” says Jo.

We think this reflects the diverse nature of our society and the willingness of Kiwis to embrace and learn more about different cultures.

“Language is a window to another culture. Whether in Cantonese, Mandarin or other dialects, MPs, local government councillors, business leaders, schools and organisations continue to show their support for NZ Chinese Language Week. Initiatives include Chinese Language Superstars sharing their language learning journeys; community leaders providing videos of support in Mandarin and Cantonese; MPs reading the parliamentary prayer in Chinese Languages; Readings of our Tri-lingual children’s book in libraries and schools around NZ; business leaders challenging their teams to do the 5 Days 5 Phrases Challenge and a nationwide celebration of Dumpling Day.”

This year the NZCLW Trust will distribute more than 3500 copies of a tri-lingual children’s book – Weka’s Waiata – free of charge to schools and public libraries around New Zealand. Weka’s Waiata is produced in Mandarin Chinese, Te Reo Māori, and English, and will be available online and as an audio book.

“We have published seven tri-lingual children’s books and are proud to have donated around 20,000 books to schools and libraries nationwide. These books have been very well-received and welcomed as a valuable resource by parents, teachers, and librarians,” Jo says.

Posters, useful phrases guides, and other Chinese language leaning resources on the website can be downloaded. The hashtags for the week are #nzclw and #nzclw2023 for people to share their posts on social media.

“It’s exciting to see how many events and activities are being planned for the week and it’s great to have such vibrancy and enthusiasm for learning more about Chinese language and culture.”

Events and activities around the country are being shared on the website www.nzclw.com and on social media @__nzclw #nzclw; #nzclw2023; #NZDumplingDay; #5days5phrases; #5days5phraseschallenge.

Chinese Language Superstars are being announced in the weeks leading up to NZCLW.

NZCLW National Dumpling Day will be held on Tuesday 26 September – to coincide with International Dumpling Day.

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