The 30th Expolangues language exposition was held at the Paris Porte de Versailles Exposition Center from February 1 to February 4, 2012. This annual grand gathering for languages is an extension of the Salon de l’Education, and is an authoritative and professional exposition, as well as an important platform for exchanges between the languages and cultures of all countries.

Hanban/Confucius Institute Headquarters participated in the exposition for the first time in 2005, and attended again this year. The participation in the exposition is planned as a highlight and component of the Chinese-French Language Year and France’s Chinese Language Year. Hanban led a delegation to participate in the exposition, with over one hundred types of and nearly a thousand volumes of multilingual Chinese language teaching materials, teaching aids and cultural readings, including audio-visual and online materials, from famous publishing companies such as China Intercontinental Press, Great Wall Chinese Center, Audio-Visual Press of China Radio & TV University, and Joint Publishing (H.K.).

On the exposition’s first day, a grand ribbon-cutting ceremony was held for Hanban’s exposition booth on the theme of celebrating the Chinese-French Language Year and France’s Chinese Language Year and promoting Chinese language and culture. Many important guests attended the ceremony, such as Zhu Xiaoyu, Minister Councilor of Education of the Chinese Embassy in France, Jing Wei, Deputy Director of Hanban, Mr. Abdou Diouf, Secretary-General of the International Organization of the Francophonie, Mr. Jean-Pierre van Deth, founder of Expolangues, and Mr. Xavier Darcos, former Minister of National Education and current President of the French Institute, which clearly shows the increasing influence of studying Chinese language and culture in France and the entire European region.

Hanban’s exposition booth occupied an area of 50 square meters, divided into four sections, namely the Chinese Language International Teaching Materials Display Area, the New Chinese Proficiency Test Exhibition Area, Confucius Institutes (Classrooms) in France Exhibition Area and the Cultural Activities Interactive Display Area. The concise and eye-catching exhibition booth rich with Chinese characteristics was the largest highlight of the entire exposition center.

During the exhibition, Hanban held separate conferences for Chinese language volunteer teachers and local Chinese language teachers. The conferences, centered on the topics of recent developments in Chinese language education and the compilation, development, publication and spread of teaching materials, aimed at inviting opinions from the teachers in the frontline of Chinese language education.

At the same time, Hanban also organized all of France’s 15 Confucius Institutes to hold numerous interesting lectures on Chinese culture, sample Chinese classes and introductions of teaching materials, as well as hold activities experiencing Chinese culture such as Chinese martial arts, calligraphy, tea ceremony, etc. and giving a complete overview of Chinese language and culture to the people of France.