2026 The 23rd Chinese Bridge Competition in Latvia was successfully held / 拉脱维亚2026年第23届汉语桥比赛在里加成功举办
当地时间2026年5月8日至9日，“拉脱维亚第23届汉语桥比赛”在拉脱维亚大学顺利举行。本次活动由中国驻拉脱维亚大使馆主办、拉脱维亚大学孔子学院承办，协办单位包括拉脱维亚大学人文学院等多个孔子课堂和教学点、拉脱维亚留华同学会、里加中国文化中心等。中国驻拉脱维亚大使馆公使衔参赞王拥军先生、拉脱维亚大学副校长恩诺·恩灿（Enno Ence）先生出席活动。拉脱维亚大学孔子学院、拉脱维亚留华同学会、里加中国文化中心、新华社、中国国际电视台（CGTN）等机构和媒体的领导与嘉宾，以及拉脱维亚大中小学教师、学生及中文爱好者300余人参加活动，现场气氛热烈。
在5月8日上午开幕式上，使馆、拉大、孔院领导分别致辞。王拥军公参表示，“汉语桥”是展示学生中文学习成果的重要平台，也是一座促进中拉文化交流的桥梁，并代表孔子学院感谢所有评委和工作人员的辛勤付出。拉脱维亚大学副校长恩诺·恩灿先生表示，“语言与文化的多样性是拉脱维亚大学最宝贵的财富之一：它拓宽思维，培养全球视野，并帮助年轻人成为连接不同世界的桥梁。”拉脱维亚大学孔子学院两位院长贝德高教授和何东教授用拉汉双语发言，他们表示二十多年以来，汉语桥见证了历史——成千上万的拉脱维亚青年走过这座桥，给自己创造了千载难逢的好机会——来中国观光旅游、品尝美食，来中国学习语言、科学和文化，来中国工作、生活、广交朋友。
开幕式后，活动正式拉开帷幕。参赛选手们精心打扮、仪态大方、风采各异。比赛现场精彩纷呈，有的深情演绎经典中文歌曲，歌声婉转悠扬；有的提笔现场绘画，以笔墨勾勒东方韵味；有的趣味模仿功夫熊猫，灵动俏皮惟妙惟肖；有的活力展演体操表演，身姿舒展朝气蓬勃；有的一招一式演绎中华武术，刚劲有力气场十足；还有的立足主题进行中文演讲，谈吐从容、条理清晰，更有选手创意十足、融合多元国风元素倾情展示，令人耳目一新。比赛内容丰富、形式多样，充分展现了选手们对汉语学习的热情以及对中华文化的深入理解。
经过两天紧张而激烈的角逐，本次“汉语桥”比赛于5月9日下午圆满落幕。最终，大学组爱丽丝、菲娜、丁香，中学组安德烈、艾米利亚、季穆尔，小学组安雅、傅畅、米雅九位选手凭借出色的表现从56名参赛选手中脱颖而出，荣获初级、中级及高级组别的冠军，赢得了评委与观众的高度评价。
The 23rd Chinese Bridge Competition in Latvia was successfully held at the University of Latvia from May 8 to 9, local time, 2026. Hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Latvia and undertaken by the Confucius Institute at the University of Latvia, the event was co-organized by the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Latvia and multiple Confucius Classrooms and Chinese teaching sites, the Latvia Alumni Association of Graduates from Chinese Universities, the Riga China Cultural Center, among other institutions.
Mr. Wang Yongjun, Minister-Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Latvia, and Mr. Enno Ence, Vice-Rector of the University of Latvia, attended the event. More than 300 guests and participants took part in the activity, including leaders and representatives from the Confucius Institute at the University of Latvia, the Latvia Alumni Association of Graduates from Chinese Universities, the Riga China Cultural Center, Xinhua News Agency and CGTN, as well as teachers, students and Chinese language enthusiasts from primary, secondary and tertiary institutions across Latvia. The venue was filled with a warm and festive atmosphere.
At the opening ceremony on the morning of May 8, representatives from the Chinese Embassy, the University of Latvia and the Confucius Institute delivered speeches respectively. Minister-Counselor Wang Yongjun noted that the Chinese Bridge serves as an important platform for students to showcase their achievements in Chinese learning and a bridge for cultural exchanges between China and Latvia. On behalf of the Confucius Institute, he expressed gratitude to all judges and staff for their hard work.
Mr. Enno Ence, Vice-Rector of the University of Latvia, stated, “Linguistic and cultural diversity is one of the most valuable assets of the University of Latvia. It broadens minds, fosters a global vision, and empowers young people to become bridges connecting different worlds.”
Professor Pēteris Pildegovičs and Professor He Dong, Co-Directors of the Confucius Institute at the University of Latvia, delivered addresses in both Latvian and Chinese. They remarked that over the decades, the Chinese Bridge has witnessed remarkable history. Thousands of young Latvians have crossed this bridge and seized invaluable opportunities: traveling across China and tasting its delicacies, pursuing studies in Chinese language, science and culture, as well as working, living and making friends across China.
The competition officially kicked off after the opening ceremony. Dressed in elaborate costumes and carrying themselves with poise, the contestants displayed unique charm and elegance. The competition featured a splendid array of performances: some gave soulful renditions of classic Chinese songs with melodious voices; some painted live on the spot, depicting Eastern charm with traditional Chinese brush and ink; some vividly mimicked Kung Fu Panda with playful and lifelike gestures; some presented dynamic gymnastics shows with graceful and energetic movements; some demonstrated traditional Chinese martial arts with powerful stances and commanding presence; others delivered themed Chinese speeches with composure and logical clarity. Several contestants delivered innovative performances integrating diverse traditional Chinese cultural elements, bringing a refreshing experience to the audience. Rich and varied in content and form, the competition fully demonstrated the contestants’ passion for Chinese learning and in-depth understanding of Chinese culture.
After two days of intense competition, the 23rd Chinese Bridge Competition came to a successful close on the afternoon of May 9. Altogether nine contestants, namely Alise Suhova, Delfīna Busigina and Violeta Žusele from the university group, Andrejs Jegorovcevs, Emilija Kurmeļova and Timurs Strumilovs from the middle school group, and Anna Nenchina, Germans Filatovs and Mia Lilientāle from the primary school group, stood out among the 56 participants with their remarkable performances, claiming the championships of the beginner, intermediate and advanced categories and earning high recognition from both the judges and the audience.
【编辑 吴芝萱/ 摄影 何柚宛 Edited by Zhixuan Wu / Photoed by Youwan He】
