On February 21, Consul General Li Nan visited Millburn Primary School in Northern Ireland at the school’s invitation. During his visit, he met with Principal Sharon, Causeway Coast and Glens Mayor Ciaran McQuillan, Deputy Mayor Tanya Stirling, and representatives from local education and economic departments. He also attended the Chinese New Year celebrations organized by the Confucius Classroom.

Consul General Li expressed his gratitude to Principal Sharon for the warm welcome. He highlighted that since the establishment of Northern Ireland’s first Confucius Classroom at Millburn Primary School in 2012, in collaboration with the Confucius Institute at Ulster University, numerous students have learned Chinese, sung Chinese songs, and gained a deeper appreciation of China and its culture. This has significantly strengthened cultural exchange and mutual understanding between China and Northern Ireland. The Consulate General remains committed to supporting the development of the Confucius Classroom and hopes that students will continue their efforts in learning Chinese, ultimately becoming young ambassadors for China-UK and China-Northern Ireland friendship.

Principal Sharon shared insights into the school’s initiatives in Chinese language education, cultural exchange, and special programs. She emphasized the importance of learning Chinese for Northern Ireland’s younger generation and expressed a strong willingness to collaborate with China on further multicultural exchange programs.