On October 2nd, the Chinese Heritage Class of the Confucius Institute at Middle East Technical University (METU CI) held a cultural event to celebrate the National Day of the People’s Republic of China and foster a deep sense of patriotism among young people of Chinese heritage living overseas. The event offered the children an opportunity to experience the cultural significance of National Day while working together to decorate their brand-new Chinese classroom, allowing their feelings of connection to their homeland to flourish even in a foreign land.
At the beginning of the event, the teacher delivered a themed mini-lesson, explaining the origins and significance of China’s National Day and showing videos of flag-raising ceremonies and spectacular National Day military parades from previous years. The orderly formations and the rising Five-Star Red Flag on screen captivated the young students of Chinese heritage. During the lesson, the children eagerly raised their hands to answer questions. Through this interactive Q&A session, they deepened their understanding of National Day, further strengthening their cultural identity and national pride.
Songs convey heartfelt sentiments, as young voices sing praises to the motherland. Following the lesson, the class moved on to learning to sing China’s national anthem, “March of the Volunteers.” The teacher guided the students through the lyrics line by line, explaining the revolutionary history behind the song and the spirit of perseverance it embodies. The children read the lyrics carefully and practiced repeatedly, gradually progressing from initial hesitation and unfamiliarity to singing confidently and aloud. Their clear, melodious young voices echoed throughout the classroom, filled with sincerity and enthusiasm. The stirring national anthem carried the children’s purest and most heartfelt wishes for their motherland.
This semester, the class had just moved into a brand-new classroom. The students created National Day-themed posters and worked together to build their own dedicated Chinese learning space. Everyone put their creativity to good use, producing a series of brightly colored, delightfully childlike National Day artworks. The classroom was filled with a festive atmosphere, and the children felt a great sense of accomplishment as they admired the results of their collective efforts.
By bringing together Chinese language learning, cultural experiences, and classroom community-building, the event enabled the children to appreciate the significance of National Day through immersive activities and strengthened their cultural identity. In the future, the class will continue to explore diverse cultural themes and organize a variety of cultural activities, providing young people of Chinese heritage living overseas with a platform to experience the culture of their motherland.