Egyptian university launches Chinese movies week

ISMAILIA, Egypt, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- An Egyptian university on Sunday launched a Chinese movies week themed "Eye on Contemporary China" in cooperation with China Radio International (CRI).

The first movie screened at the Suez Canal University in Egypt's Ismailia province, northeast of the capital Cairo, was Chinese award-winning film "Go Lala Go!" dubbed into Arabic.

The movie was greatly enjoyed by over 100 Egyptian students learning Chinese at Confucius Institute in the university.

"I would like to thank the Chinese Cultural Center that donated many books to the university, which is important for our students and for the teaching process in the university. I hope everyone enjoys the movie and understands more about China," said Hassan Ragab, dean of Al-Alsun Faculty and executive director of Confucius Institute.

An 18-year-old female student who studies Chinese at Al-Alsun Faculty expressed admiration for the opening Chinese movie that depicts the struggle of a white-collar woman to climb a corporate ladder as well as seek true love nowadays in some metropolises of China.

"Since I study Chinese, it's important to me to watch such Chinese movies and get to learn about their culture, civilization, habits and traditions," the junior student told Xinhua.

Zhang Li, director of CRI Middle East headquarters, said that several Egyptian TV channels have showed interest in Chinese movies and episodes dubbed by the CRI into Arabic.

"Many Egyptians told me that when they watched the Chinese movies, they felt Egypt and China share similar cultures," she added.

"We would like Egyptians to know more about modern China and modern Chinese girls, and we also hope to improve the passion and interest of Egyptian students to learn Chinese."

Besides the Chinese movies week, an exhibition is being held on the university campus about late renowned Chinese author and poet Guo Moruo, displaying posters in Chinese, Arabic and English about his autobiography and masterpieces.