The Confucius Institute at UT Dallas participated in Plano 2012 AsiaFest on Haggard Park to promote the Chinese language and culture on May 5th, 2012. About 10,000 local citizens took part in the festival and they were attracted by the demonstration of paper cutting and Chinese calligraphy.

About 9am, six Chinese teachers and volunteers of the Confucius Institute at UTD, who are from China Three Gorges University, came to Plano Haggard Park early to prepare the demonstration on Chinese culture and to promote Chinese language teaching. Beautiful Chinese lanterns, Chinese knots, brochures on the Confucius Institute and partner university, exams of HSK, YCT, BCT, and the works of paper-cutting & calligraphy were displayed on the tables to show attractive Chinese culture. The writing brushes, ink sticks, paper and ink stones were put on the table to attract the visitors to practice on Chinese calligraphy. Chinese teachers Hu Xueyan, Pi Ningtian, and Jin Lingyan in Confucius Institute T-shirts were busy introducing Chinese courses and showing paper-cutting. Some students used the scissors to practice on paper-cutting under the guidance of the teachers. They left happily and proudly with their own paper-cutting works on which their Chinese names had been written. Some Chinese culture amateurs were attracted by the demonstration on the Chinese calligraphy by Professor Tian. They not only stopped to enjoy the unique visual art charm, but also asked to get the calligraphy work with Chinese names for their children. They are very interested in the Chinese characters with art symbols. Professor Tian presented his own calligraphy works implied with harmonious thought to visitors to propose the ideas of social harmony, the world in peace and the construction of global ecological civilization.

More Americans are very interested in the aim of the Confucius Institute and the Chinese language courses. They constantly consulted the information of Confucius Institute Headquarters such as Chinese Bridge, Summer Camp, Chinese Proficiency Test, Three Tours, etc. The volunteer Chinese teachers gave their detailed explanation and encouraged them to learn Chinese language and take part in the various cultural and academic activities. During the festival, the Confucius Institute at UTD donated some gifts for prize drawing to further expand the influence in local community.