On June 30, ZISU hosted a high-level delegation from the Maldives. It comprises 13 vice ministers and senior officials from 9 government bodies, such as the President’s Office, Ministry of Local Government, and Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology. The welcome ceremony was attended by ZISU President Zhang Huanzhou, with Vice President Mao Zhenhua serving as moderator.
Organized by the Academy for International Business Officials under China’s Ministry of Commerce and co-hosted by ZISU, the "Maldives-China Zhejiang Tour" aimed to strengthen bilateral ties, offering the Maldivian delegates an in-depth glimpse into Zhejiang’s cultural heritage and dynamic development.
In her address, Zhang highlighted the historical cultural links between China and the Maldives, as well as ZISU’s friendly exchanges with the island nation. She said that ZISU was honored to receive such a distinguished group, emphasizing that universities should act as “ferrymen” for cultural exchanges. "Through education, youth engagement, and cultural exchanges, we can carry on civilizational mutual learning." She expressed ZISU’s eagerness to deepen cooperation with the Maldives in areas like ecological conservation, cultural exchange, and youth talent development, thus contributing to both nations’ cultural prosperity.
At the ceremony, Zhang presented Mohamed Hashem, delegation head and Maldivian Minister of State for Social and Family Affairs, with a special diplomatic commemorative envelope and a paper-cutting artwork. Blending diplomatic tradition with folk craftsmanship, the gifts symbolized a cultural bond linking Maldivian officials with Chinese youth creativity, adding a vivid story to bilateral cultural exchanges.
Zulaikha Rafeeu, Maldivian Vice Minister of Higher Education, spoke on behalf of the delegation, noting that being a nation of coral reef islands, the Maldives shares deep maritime civilization roots with China. She expressed hope that their visit would pave the way for more Maldivian students to serve as "cultural ferrymen" through ZISU’s platform. Hashem, who shared his personal growth from a coordinator at a Chinese-funded enterprise to a senior government official, voiced his commitment to building more bridges for people-to-people ties between the two countries.
After the ceremony, the delegates toured the folk artifact exhibition. A highlight came when the curator from ZISU’s School of Art mentioned that Chinese celadon reached the Maldives via the Maritime Silk Road, as the visitors shared photos from their mobile phones of Chinese porcelain shards unearthed in Maldivian museums. This photo sharing turned "civilizational mutual learning" into an interesting dialogue on cultural communication. Reflecting on the event, ZISU English junior Zhang Linna wrote in her notes: "This experience showed me that civilizational exchange isn’t just a grand concept - it lives in every eye contact and sincere conversation."
In theidea-exchange session, members of ZISU’s EloCute English Speech and Debate Team engaged in in-depth discussions with the Maldivian officials on topics including youth development, civilizationalmutuallearning, and people-to-people friendship. Yu Qingqing, an English sophomore, commented: "This collision of ideas made us realize that the ‘boat of civilization’ needs every generation to keep rowing forward."
The event was coordinated by ZISU’s International Affairs Office and Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs Office, supported by the Schools of English Studies, Culture and Tourism, and Art.
CN
