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The Confucius Institute Alliance of Brazil, bringing together 14 Confucius institutes in Brazil, was officially inaugurated at the Confucius Institute at São Paulo State University recently.

Representatives of Brazil’s 14 Confucius Institutes and leaders of 11 partner universities witnessed the inauguration of the Alliance on September 12. As the first Confucius Institute Alliance in Latin America, it will be chaired by Luis Antonio Paulino, the Brazilian director of the Confucius Institute at São Paulo State University.

Xing Wenju, Minister of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Brazil, said in his remarks at the event that language and cultural exchanges play an increasingly prominent role in deepening strategic cooperation between China and Brazil and in fostering mutual understanding between the peoples. He expressed the hope that the Alliance would further strengthen intercollegiate cooperation and inject new vitality into the development of Brazil-China relations.

Maysa Furlan, President of São Paulo State University, said that the Alliance will contribute to pooling resources and strengthening both teaching quality and social impact of Chinese language, adding that the university would provide strong support for its development.

According to Paulino, the Alliance will harness the collaborative strengths of member universities and institutes, to promote the integration of teaching, faculty development and cultural programs, and contribute to the sustainable growth of Brazil–China cultural exchange and educational cooperation.

Liu Jianping, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Hubei University Committee and President of Hubei University, said in his video address that as the Chinese partner of the Confucius Institute at São Paulo State University, Hubei University would actively engage in the Alliance’s development to make it a “booster” for China–Brazil relations.

Yu Yunfeng, Director of the Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC), Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, stated at the inauguration that the Confucius Institutes have played a unique role in international Chinese language education and cultural exchange. He emphasized that the Alliance should adhere to the principles of adapting to local conditions and being learner-oriented, thereby establishing a model platform for talent training in teaching, research, and localization.

At the inauguration, the Chinese International Education Foundation, the Confucius Institute Alliance of Brazil and the Association of Chinese Enterprises in Brazil together signed a memorandum of understanding for strategic cooperation. The CLEC signed cooperation agreements with the University of Brasília and the Federal University of Tocantins respectively.