KIEV, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese and Ukrainian schoolchildren staged a concert to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year in a school here on Tuesday.
The concert, held at the No. 294 secondary school, charmed the local audience with 12 performances, including famous Chinese and Ukrainian songs and dances, a kung fu show and a traditional tea ceremony.
Dina Scherbak, the school principal, said that the joint Lunar New Year celebration helps Chinese and Ukrainian children in the school to better understand each others' culture.
"It was the celebration of Ukrainian-Chinese friendship and the event to welcome spring. In the spring, everything wakes up. We have seen both -- the Ukrainian customs and the traditions of celebrating the New Year in China," Scherbak told Xinhua after the concert.
The Chinese language classes were introduced to the school last year as an additional course to the school with the help from a local Chinese community, the Chinese Diaspora in Ukraine and the Confucius Institute of the Kiev National Taras Shevchenko University.
The Chinese language courses not only help children of the Chinese diaspora in Ukraine learn their mother tongue, but also offer Ukrainian children a unique opportunity to study the Chinese language and discover Chinese culture.
"We write a lot, we read, we learn songs in Chinese. The teacher tells us interesting facts about China and the Chinese people," said Sophia Mogyl, an eighth-grade pupil who performed at the concert.
Oleksandra Omelchuk, another student, said that cultural events, such as the Lunar New Year concert, are helping her not only to gain insight into the Chinese culture, but also make Chinese friends.
"They are very friendly and easy going. And it is nice to communicate with them," Omelchuk said.
