On the afternoon of August 25, Beijing International Studies University (BISU), a corporate council member of the BPAFFC, received the visiting German delegation of young musicians led by Kurt Karst, President of the Wiesbaden-Mainz Germany-China Friendship Association. The German delegation and the BISU “Crabapple Flower” Students Art Troupe carried out arts exchanges.
The visit coincides with the 60th anniversary of BISU. Accompanied by BISU students speaking foreign languages fluently, the delegation was deeply impressed by this prestigious university founded with the support of Premier Zhou Enlai. Drawn to the exhibits at the Student Activity Center, the German friends had a lively exchange of ideas with BISU students.
Wang Yanxia, Vice President of the BPAFFC, appreciated the post-COIVD visit by Kurt Karst and his delegation, noting that music is the language of the heart and serves as a bridge connecting people across different historical periods and cultures. Over the years, the BPAFFC, BISU, and Kurt Karst have conducted a series of music exchanges in Beijing, Trier, Mainz, and Cologne, adding beautiful notes to the song of the China-German friendship. Wang also expressed the hope to further cooperation and make fresh contributions to the friendship between the peoples of China and Germany in the new era.
On behalf of the entire university community, Zhang Yan, Vice President of BISU, welcomed Kurt Karst and the art students from Mainz. Noting that students on both sides have fostered a deep connection through arts, he said that the exchanges not only showcase the unique charm of Chinese and German cultures but also reflect the shared aspirations for peace, friendship, and cooperation. He looked forward to continued efforts of young people in China and Germany to strengthen their bond and contribute to a better world.
Kurt Karst thanked the BPAFFC and BISU for their hospitality and stated that the Wiesbaden-Mainz Germany-China Friendship Association has been committed to promoting cultural exchanges and people-to-people friendship between the two countries, and its close cooperation with the BPAFFC and BISU has enhanced the friendship between Chinese and German youths. He said that the arts exchanges are part of the people-to-people exchanges between the two countries resumed following the COVID-19 pandemic, and are a vivid testament to our friendship. He hoped that the romantic performances by the German delegation could help deepen mutual understanding and integration of both cultures and contribute to building a bridge of trust, respect, and understanding.
With smooth and lyrical singing styles and gentle and pure song cycles by Robert Schumann, Chinese and German students together presented an artistic feast combining Eastern poetic flavor and Western romance. David, a postgraduate at the Mainz School of Music, sang “Missing Home” in Chinese, a song expressing longing for loved ones far away, composed by Huang Zi, one of the foundational figures in modern Chinese music history. The event culminated in the chorus of “Jasmine Flower” and “O schöne Nacht” by Chinese and German students, embodying their expectations for friendship, cooperation, inclusiveness, and mutual learning.
At the end of the event, Wang Yanxia, Zhang Yan, and Wang Qing, Director of the Cultural Exchanges Department of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), presented commemorative certificates to the German friends.
During their stay in Beijing, the delegation also visited the Huguang Guild Hall in Beijing and the Beijing Museum of Traditional Opera, gaining an understanding of the emergence and development of Peking opera in Xuannan, or the area to the south of Xuanwu Gate in today’s Xicheng District.
