Connections that bind pass through classrooms

Every Monday morning, students at the Rio Chinese International School gather on the school field to sing the national anthems of China and Brazil as well as the school song, watching as flags are raised.

Celine Yang Camargo, a seventh-grade student, said the school's cultural activities set it apart from other schools.

"Here I get to take part in Chinese cultural activities such as making mooncakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival and preparing zongzi (sticky rice treats) for the Dragon Boat Festival. I find them very intriguing," Celine said.

Her favorite poem is Yong E (Ode to the Goose), she said, a classical Chinese piece by the Tang Dynasty (618-907) poet Luo Binwang.

"It's fun learning about animals through poetry," Celine said.

Yuan Aiping, chief principal of the school, said: "Our school emphasizes both language and culture, bringing together teachers and students during traditional Chinese festivals. We aim to offer first-class Chinese education in Brazil, preparing students with strong intercultural skills."

In 2022, the city of Rio de Janeiro declared Sept 28, widely observed as Confucius' birthday, as Mandarin Day, recognizing the significance of the Chinese language.

The Rio Chinese International School, the first full-time Chinese school in Latin America, offers a standardized Chinese curriculum.

"The school is gaining more popularity. Even Brazilian federal deputies send their children to our school because of our cultural focus, long-term planning, and personalized teaching," said Yuan, who has over 40 years of experience as an educator.

"They believe that learning Chinese will make them more competitive, given China's importance as an economic partner," Yuan said.

Zheng Xiamao, the school's chairman, said: "As these students engage with Chinese culture, they contribute to the dialogue between our two countries, reinforcing the importance of cross-cultural communication in a globalized world."

Last year, Rio's public schools introduced Chinese-language programs. "Education is the key to transforming lives," said Renan Ferreirinha, the city's education secretary. "We've just inaugurated the first two public bilingual schools with Mandarin." Learning Chinese opens up opportunities, encouraging students to gain a better understanding of China, he said.

In visiting Beijing this year, Ferreirinha said, he gained a deeper understanding of the educational ties between the two countries.