The International Education Center of East China Normal University successfully held the second phase of VOICE Bilingual Corner for Chinese and Foreign students

On the afternoon of April 17, 2024, the International Education Center of East China Normal University successfully held the second phase of VOICE Bilingual Corner for Chinese and Foreign Students in the International Student Exchange Center on the fourth floor of the Physics Building. Although the weather was not pleasant and the spring rain was flying, this did not stop the enthusiasm of the students to participate in the activity. The activity attracted 17 Chinese and foreign students from different countries and different professional backgrounds to actively participate, and jointly launched in-depth and heated discussions and sharing around the theme of "Reading & Poems"，welcoming the upcoming International Chinese Language Day on April 19.

At the beginning of the activity, the host first gave a wonderful introduction to poetry and guided the students to the first session - "Breaking the ice: Sharing your favorite poets and poems". The students spoke enthusiastically and shared their unique feelings and personal preferences on poetry. Among them,a student from the Chinese Department presented Zhang Ruoxu's "A Night on a River in Spring with Flowers and Moonlight" and recommended a musical composition based on this classic Tang poem. In addition, a Canadian student also recited the poet Cecile Sauvage's "Melancolie" in cadence in French, showing the charm of poetry across languages and cultures. Each poem is like a window into the richness of different cultures and the vastness of the emotional world. In the following group communication session, the students further discussed the poetry they are familiar with and love. A Russian student passionately recited his original poem, affectionately describing his psychological activities and delicate feelings before falling asleep, which triggered the resonance of the students. A Japanese student chose the popular poem "Night on the Maple Bridge" to share, and she movingly told how she had a strong resonance with this poem during the epidemic, and drew comfort and strength from it.

Finally, each group selected a student representative to introduce and display their selected poems to lead everyone to feel and appreciate the meaning and charm of poetry. As a treasure of human culture, poetry not only transcends national boundaries and language barriers, but also becomes a bridge connecting our hearts. No matter in the East or the West, poetry inspires people's imagination and creativity with its unique art form and aesthetic value. At the same time, poetry has become an important carrier for us to understand each other and enhance friendship.The successful holding of the VOICE Bilingual Corner for Chinese and foreign students not only provides a platform for Chinese and foreign students to display their talents and exchange ideas, but also further promotes the diversity and inclusiveness of campus culture.