Benin students learn kite-making at Confucius Institute

COTONOU, Benin, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Benin students at the Confucius Institute of the Abomey-Calavi University learned how to make traditional Chinese kites at a workshop here on Saturday.

At least 60 Benin students participated in the workshop. Guo Hongli, a kite specialist from China's kite city of Weifang in east China's Shandong Province, came to Benin to join the workshop and teach Benin children how to make a traditional Chinese kite which has been registered as a world intangible heritage since 2000.

Guo said he was very pleased to be in Cotonou to share with the children of Benin the fabrication techniques of kites so that they can make kites by themselves and fly kites during their spare time.

According to Guo, there are three phases of making a kite: first the framing, then the gathering of bamboo spare parts to constitute the outline of the kite, and finally the gluing and decoration of the kite.

Fifame Sehlin, a primary school girl at the Confucius Institute, enjoyed learning how to make a kite.

"Following this workshop at the Chinese cultural center in Cotonou, I can now produce kite and show the fabrication process to my fellows," she said.

Frejus Kpogbozan, a first year student, said learning how to make a kite makes him know more about the Chinese culture and history.