Every year,the months of April toJune is the summer vocation of students in the Philippines. In order to attract more students to learn Chinese, Confucius Institute at the Ateneo de Manila University offers a special Chinese Language and Culture Program for kids and teens. It is uniquein that the students not only learn basic Chinese language, but also experience Chinese culture through activities such as Chinese paper cutting, Chinese knots, Chinese opera masks drawing, and Chinese painting. These various classes have madethis summer vacation fun for the children.

This year the program is set up in two places; one is in Confucius Institute at the Ateneo de Manila University which offers Chinese language and Chinese crafts classes and another at Shangri-La Plaza. The teachers includelocal Chinese language teachers Mabel Yeung, Mary Ann Lonto, and a volunteer teacher from SunYat-sen University, Zhou Shi Yu. Students of advance Chinese painting class in Confucius Institute at the Ateneo de Manila University take care of teaching a painting class held at Shangri-La Plaza.

During the summer classes, Mr. Pan Feng, Cultural Counselor of Chinese Embassy in the Philippines,came to visit the students. Mr. Pan was warmly received by the PhilippineDirector Dr.Palanca and Chinese Director Liu Xiao Fang. Mr. Panmade light conversation with the kidsand the kids happily showedhim their works in return.

We hope that through holding various kinds of programs like this, more and more students can participate in studying Chinese, enjoy the happy Chinese language learning, and experiencing the charming Chinese culture!