The Confucius Classroom at the 18th Secondary School, under the Confucius Institute in Sofia, hosted a Chinese Culture Festival and a 2026 Spring Festival Art Performance

On January 25, the Confucius Classroom at the 18th Secondary School “William Gladstone,” under the Confucius Institute in Sofia, hosted a Chinese Culture Festival and the 2026 Spring Festival celebration. Nearly 300 people attended the event, including Zhang Yanbo, Cultural Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy in Bulgaria; Yang Tian, Head of Educational Affairs at the Embassy; Eleonora Lilova, Head of the Regional Department of Education in Sofia; Ge Lina, Director of the Chinese Cultural Center in Sofia; Lin Hao, Chief Correspondent of Xinhua News Agency in Sofia; Maria Ivanova, Principal of Private Primary School “Tsar Simeon the Great”; Petya Kostadinova, Vice Principal of 51 “Elisaveta Bagryana” Secondary School; Ralitsa Kirilova, Principal of the 18th Secondary School; Desislava Nikolova, Vice Principal; Chen Ying, Chinese Director of the Confucius Institute in Sofia; as well as guests from other schools, students, teachers, and parents.

In her speech, Ralitsa Kirilova, principal of the 18th Middle School, explained the significance of the 2026 Year of the Horse, praised the outstanding performance of the students in the Chinese classes as well as the achievements accomplished through the joint efforts of teachers and students, expressed her hopes for deepening Sino-Bulgarian friendship, and extended her warmest Chinese New Year wishes to the guests, teachers, students, and parents present.

The event was divided into two parts: an artistic performance and a Chinese culture experience workshop. During the artistic performance, students from the Confucius Classroom presented a series of spectacular acts, including Chinese song performances, a Taiji fan demonstration, a Chinese costume fashion show, a piano recital, and a stage play based on Chinese mythology, all of which received enthusiastic applause from the audience.

The Chinese culture experience workshop featured activities such as calligraphy, Peking opera mask painting, Chinese chess, tea ceremony demonstrations, trying on traditional Chinese clothing, and Chinese food tasting. Guests, teachers, students, and parents participated enthusiastically, experiencing Chinese culture up close through ink, painting, chess, tea, and cuisine, while jointly celebrating the Chinese New Year of the Horse.

The Spring Festival served as the connecting element of this event, building a bridge for cultural exchange between China and Bulgaria. The Confucius Classroom at the 18th Middle School will continue to organize a variety of engaging cultural activities, attracting more students to experience and appreciate the richness and depth of Chinese culture.

Confucius Institute in Sofia
Text: Zhang Kaiyue
Photos: Zhang Kaiyue, Liu Bei, 18th Secondary School
Editors: Chen Ying, Aksiniya Koleva, Ding Chen
English translation: Dima Pironkova