On April 21, the Chinese Embassy in Croatia and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Zagreb jointly held the 2026 International Chinese Language Day celebration. Ambassador Qi Qianjin, Dean of the Faculty Domagoj Tončinić, and Head of the Sinology Department Ivana Buljan attended the event, which was joined by over 200 teachers and students.

Ambassador Qi stated that learning Chinese is like opening a window; not only does it offer a glimpse into the brilliance of a five-thousand-year-old civilization, but it also leads to the infinite possibilities of future development. He noted that learning Chinese culture has become a trending topic on social media and a new fashion among young people in many countries. He expressed his hope that students would spark their colorful dreams by learning Chinese.

Tončinić and Buljan spoke highly of the role of the Chinese language as a bridge in promoting mutual learning between the civilizations of Croatia and China. They also expressed their gratitude to the Embassy for its long-standing support of the Faculty’s Chinese language teaching.

The event also featured experiential zones for calligraphy, Weiqi (Go), and Chinese chess, as well as workshops for beginner Chinese teaching and ecopoetry translation. Students from the Sinology Department performed Chinese idiom stories, creating a vibrant and enthusiastic atmosphere.