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From Valpo to China with Love
Produced by Michael Puente on Thursday, February 14, 2008

Acrobats from the Zhejiang Butterfly Performing Arts Troupe perform at the opening ceremony for the Confucius Institute at Valparaiso University. (Photo provided by Valparaiso University)

Northwest Indiana has a new link with the culture, language and traditions of China. The Confucius Institute opened this week at Valparaiso University in Porter County.

Of all Confucius’ teachings, education and study are hallmarks. With that in mind, the Lutheran-based Valparaiso University hopes education will be a bridge between Middle America and China.

HARRE: It’s to try to help Americans, who are often somewhat limited and parochial to have some sense of the nature of the music, the art, the culture, the language of the Chinese people.

That’s Valparaiso University President Alan Harre.

On Wednesday evening, Harre helped opened the university’s new Confucius Institute, with a number of Chinese dignitaries, include some from the Chinese Consulate in Chicago, looking on.

Harre says teaching the Chinese language will be an important step in developing cultural and economic ties between Northwest Indiana and China.

HARRE: If you don’t understand another person’s language, it’s very difficult to understand the culture. Ultimately, language carries culture.

The Confucius Institute is among a handful of such centers around the world. There’s also one in Chicago. Valparaiso’s was developed through a partnership with its sister school, Zhejiang University of Technology in China.

Jianyun Meng is the director of the Confucius Institute in Valparaiso. He says the university has been doing cultural and education exchange with China for years, but the institute will allow it to do a better job.

MENG: I think now we can bring this program to a new level. I’m overjoyed. I’m truly overjoyed.

Wednesday’s opening ceremony featured the Zhejiang Bufferfly Performing Troupe, one of China’s premier performing arts group.