On a winter afternoon, Shenyang Normal University in Liaoning Province welcomed a guest from afar, Mamoun Abu Al-Sebaa, the local director of the Amman TAG-Confucius Institute in Jordan. As Mamoun wandered around the campus basking in the afternoon sun, he saw a flock of black swans gliding on the lake. He smiled and said, “When I visited here last year, they were already here.”
Established in 2008, the Amman TAG-Confucius Institute in Jordan is the world’s first Confucius Institute jointly founded by a Chinese university and a foreign enterprise. Director Mamoun has made significant contributions to promoting Chinese language education and disseminating Chinese culture in Jordan. He was invited to attend the World Chinese Language Conference in Beijing. After the conference, he made a special trip to Shenyang to meet his old friends and discuss the current and future status of the Confucius Institute.
Mamoun holds deep affection for Liaoning Province. He has visited cities such as Shenyang, Benxi, and Dandong. He always considers Shenyang as his “second hometown”. In recent years, he has witnessed the rapid development and changes in Shenyang, particularly being amazed by the convenient shopping, which can all be handled by a smartphone.
Every time he comes to Shenyang, Mamoun’s itinerary always includes visits to universities, where he engages in discussions and exchanges with teachers and students. “Liaoning Province boasts a high education level, with many universities and talents. I greatly admire the dedication of educators here,” Mamoun said. “Universities in Liaoning Province are becoming increasingly attractive overseas, and many young people from Jordan choose to come here for their studies.”
The Amman TAG-Confucius Institute is jointly established by Jordan’s TAG Global Group and Shenyang Normal University. There are currently over 1,000 Jordanian students enrolled in Chinese language courses at the Confucius Institute. In response to the needs of these learners, the Institute not only provides Chinese language education but also actively promotes Chinese culture. During traditional Chinese festivals, the Institute organizes cultural events, displays Chinese intangible cultural heritage items, and teaches Chinese handicraft techniques.
When discussing future cooperation with universities in Liaoning Province, Mamoun stated, “We are exploring the possibility of expanding the types of Chinese courses, such as Chinese courses of business and trade. We also plan to invite tea art and Tai Chi instructors from Shenyang Normal University to teach at our Confucius Institute, so as to intensify our efforts in spreading Chinese culture and enable more Jordanians to better understand China.”
