On Mar.20th, 2016, the delegation of Billabong High International School(BHIS) attended the Chinese Culture and Art Experience for BHIS China Education Tour co-hosted by the Embassy of the Maldives to China, China World Peace Foundation(CWPF), Beijing People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries(BPAFFC), Beijing International Peace Culture Foundation(BIPCF), Peace Garden Museum at the Museum. 

After the tour at the Peace Stone area and the Peace Garden Museum, the delegation were deeply impressed by the China-Maldives Friendship demonstrated here. Afterwards, H.E. Mr. Mohamed Faisal, Ambassador of the Maldives to China, Dr. Li Ruohong, Chairman of CWPF, as well as a teacher and a student representative of BHIS made their remarks respectively. Mr. Faisal stressed that, learning should not be confined to classrooms and textbooks, interaction with social realities and another culture are also counted as valuable learning experiences. Mr. Faisal thanked CWPF for its continuous support to the Embassy of the Maldives to China since its opening in China. With a quote from Chairman Mao Zedong “the young people are like the sun at eight or nine in the morning” Dr. Li Ruohong encouraged the students to cherish the overseas study tours, strive to overcome the threats to the growth of the youth, promote “Belt & Road” for regional peace and pass down the China-Maldives friendship from generation to generation. Mr. Li Honghai, Director of BJPCF shared his experiences of his previous visit to the Maldives. Mr. Misbah Ahmed, Deputy Principal of BHIS mentioned,”The students read about the Great Wall, the Forbidden City as well as the Peace Garden before on books. As they really saw them with their own eyes, they were thrilled!” Humam Ahmed Mujah, the student representative said the whole tour was arranged beyond his expectation and he admires the peace action made by Chinese people.

Wonderful performances were given by volunteers from Traditional Instruments Orchestra of Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU), including Erhu trio the War Horse, gourd flute solo Deep in the Bamboo Grove, Blue and White Porcelain as well as flute solo The Song of Herdsman and Journey to Suzhou. Students of Billabong also presented their traditional dances. 

Deputy Director of Beijing Kites Association and artists invited by BPAFFC taught kite-making and kite-flying to all the people present, who not only enjoyed the experimental learning, but also got a deeper understanding of traditional Chinese culture. “One world under one heaven”. All the participants devoted their blessings to China-Maldives friendship and yearning for world peace to each cutting, sewing, splicing and pasting process.

Dr. Li presented as souvenirs popular science books for children, China NGO as well as special stamps of the museum to all the delegation members. After the tour, H.E. Mr. Faisal and Dr. Li Ruohong bid farewell to the delegation at the museum. 

Group photo in front of the Peace Garden Museum

Erhu trio the War Horse by BFSU volunteers

Traditional Maldivian dance by BHIS students

Kite-making

Group photo