The Lantern Festival is a Chinese celebration that marks the end of the Chinese New Year festivities.

 

Over 200 international students and lecturers gathered to celebrate the Lantern Festival. They come from Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Bulgaria, Burundi, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kenya, Latvia, Mongolia, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Zambia.

 

“All Good Fortune Is on Its Way” was the title of the dance.

 

IBA Rector Carsten Vikkelsøe.

 

Around 160 students and 40 lecturers from 37 different countries are participating in International Week at IBA Business Academy in Kolding. After a day of presentations, the evening concluded with a celebration of the traditional Chinese Lantern Festival.

 

Lyng Kloko (left) from the University of Nairobi and Nino Urushadze (right) from Georgian National University.

Nino Urushadze:
“This is our first semester with students participating in a programme at IBA. It is a pleasure to experience the environment at the academy and to have the opportunity to build connections with all the partner universities taking part in International Week at IBA.”

Lyng Kloko:
“I would gladly send students from our university in Kenya to IBA. It gives them insight into appreciating cultural differences so that we do not judge one another, as they develop a global mindset.”

 

Guests attending International Week at IBA had the opportunity to try performing a dragon dance in front of the many attendees at the Lantern Festival.

 

The dragon dance is a traditional Chinese dance and performance style that plays a central role in Chinese culture, especially during festive occasions such as Chinese New Year. The dragon symbolises good fortune, strength, power and protection in Chinese culture.

 

“A Nostalgic Sipping of Tea at Qianmen” was the title of the song performed with singing and drumming.

 

Four classmates from Belgium celebrated the Lantern Festival and Chinese New Year together with 36 other nationalities participating in International Week at IBA in Kolding.

 

Students and lecturers attending International Week at IBA eagerly took part in a quiz during the Lantern Festival celebration. One of the questions was: What always goes up and never comes down? Answer: your age.

 

A duet from Hunan local opera.

 

The Confucius Institute and IBA Business Academy celebrated Chinese New Year and the Lantern Festival with participants from International Week. A New Year’s dinner was held at an Asian restaurant in Kolding.

“We want to socialise with people beyond our own school and home country, as we have come to International Week to meet new people,” said five students from Latvia, the Czech Republic and Poland, who celebrated the Chinese Lantern Festival and Chinese New Year together with the other participants at International Week at IBA.

 

The Confucius Institute’s Lantern Festival was held at an Asian restaurant in Kolding, featuring entertainment with music, dance and food from the buffet.

 

For more than 15 years, Edutus University in Budapest has collaborated with IBA in Kolding, with students from both institutions participating in exchange programmes. University representative Márta Pongràcz (red blouse) is attending International Week at IBA.
“Through exchange at IBA, our Hungarian students broaden their perspectives, make friends from other countries, become more internationally minded and practise their language skills.”

 

 

 

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Foto af Ildikó Antal
Ildikó Antal
ilan@iba.dk
+45 25 28 45 47
Director, IBA International & Confucius Institute
IBA Confucius Institute
confucius@iba.dk