On June 18, the China-UK Low Carbon College (LCC) hosted a welcome reception for short-term visiting international faculties & students and the special event for Dragon Boat Festival. Guo Liang, Chief of LCC, the visiting faculties and students, as well as the representatives of faculty members and international students from LCC took part in the event. The event aims to formally welcome the visiting international faculties and students, build bridges for academic and cultural exchange, and celebrate the traditional Chinese Dragon Boat Festival together.

At the start of the event, Guo Liang delivered a welcome address, extending warm welcome to the two Thai visiting scholars and three French research interns, and expressing her hope that they could quickly settle into the academic and campus life of LCC. She expressed her gratitude to all participants for their commitment and emphasized that such events will be important initiatives for LCC in advancing internationalization and promoting cultural integration, adding that she looks forward to more fruitful exchanges in the future.

During the academic sharing session, Sopon Butcha, the visiting scholar from Thailand, delivered an academic presentation entitled “Control Electron Transfer, Control Chemical Reactions”. He shared his cutting-edge research findings, which sparked lively discussion among the faculties & students and effectively fostered academic interaction between Chinese and international scholars.

The cultural exchange session that followed was held under the theme “Converging Original Aspirations, Sharing Cultural Heritage”, Pornthip Tongying, the visiting scholar from Thailand, introduced the Thai Traditional Long Boat Racing Festival. Subsequently, the participating faculties and students engaged in an open and in-depth discussion on the cultural origins, shared values (such as the spirit of unity and perseverance) and the distinctive characteristics of both the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival and the Thai Long Boat Racing Festival. The participants actively shared their insights on cultural exchange and explored shared values, the atmosphere was harmonious, achieving an organic combination of cultural communication and ideological guidance.

The highlight of the event was the hands-on workshop —— making herbal sachets with homespun cloth. Under the guidance of a professional craft instructor, faculties and students from China and abroad experienced the charm of traditional Chinese craftsmanship together. The participants made their own sachets from homespun cloth filled with traditional Chinese herbs, they have not only experienced the charm of intangible cultural heritage but also incorporated the principles of low-carbon living and environmental protection into their practical activities. As the joy overflowed, everyone enjoyed a warm and convivial atmosphere as they learnt from one another and exchanged ideas. After completing their work, the participants posed for a group photo to mark this unforgettable moment.

This event, innovative in form and substantial in content, seamlessly combined the welcome reception, academic exchanges, cultural dialogue and hands-on craft activities. During the event, the participants not only deepened their mutual understanding and gained knowledge & friendships, but also experienced first-hand the charm of Chinese outstanding traditional culture in a joyful and harmonious atmosphere. It truly realized the objective of “International Education: Reaping the Benefits and Enjoying the Journey”, and received an enthusiastic response.