The "Peace and Unity – 2024" joint military exercise between China and Tanzania entered the phase of live-fire drill with an opening ceremony held at the Mapinga training center in Dar es Salaam on Monday.
The opening ceremony began at 9:00 with soldiers from both countries standing in formations and national anthems of China and Tanzania being played.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Jenerali Jacob John Mkunda, commander of the Tanzania People's Defense Force, and the commander of the participating Chinese troops said that military relations are an important part of the bilateral relations between the two countries. Taking opportunity of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the two sides will carry forward friendship and resolutely deliver on the important common understandings between the two heads of state, and conduct the friendly exchanges between the two militaries, so as to promote the bilateral ties and contribute to regional peace and stability.
"With high morale, high-quality military performance and coordinated joint operations, we will work shoulder by shoulder with Tanzanian military. We will fully demonstrate Chinese military's resolution and capability in safeguarding regional stability and peace," said Gao Jian, officer of the participating Chinese troops.
At the opening ceremony, Chinese soldiers showed their Tanzanian counterparts major military equipment to be used in the joint exercise.
Over one thousand soldiers from both sides will participate in the following joint exercise with various types of weapons and equipment to be used.
In the next step, in-depth exchanges will be organized on joint counter-terrorism operations.
The two sides will also conduct joint command, joint specialized training and live-fire drill.
Joint China-Tanzania military exercise enters phase of live-fire drill
The World Calligraphy Museum in Ryazan, Russia stands as a unique institution showcasing calligraphy from dozens of Asian countries. It serves as a bridge connecting diverse cultures and traditions, uniting civilizations under one roof.
The museum, the only one of its kind in Russia and one of the few globally, is solely devoted to the art of calligraphy.
"This museum has no equivalents. In China, some think there is only Chinese calligraphy, in the Arab world - that there is only Arabic calligraphy. But it turns out that the world is so diverse in terms of this form of art. What we have created is unprecedented. Many people have heard or read something about calligraphy but have not seen it with their own eyes. Particularly, few people have had the opportunity to walk around the gallery and have a good understanding of regional calligraphy," said Alexey Shaburov, director and founder of the museum.
The museum features distinctive collections of Russian and Chinese calligraphy.
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of China-Russia diplomatic relations, the museum has curated a special exhibition highlighting Chinese culture.
Additionally, the museum conducts regular calligraphy classes providing a deeper immersion into Chinese cultural practices and also offers Chinese language lessons.
"When teaching the Chinese language, the most important aspect is hieroglyphs. They seem complex, but through art, Russian students can understand Chinese characters and realize that it's the easiest part in learning the Chinese language," said Wei Rongchen, a calligraphy and Chinese language teacher.
Every year the number of Russians interested in learning the Chinese language and calligraphy continues to grow, and the students here not only enjoy but appreciate the master classes being offered.
"Of course, the whole culture of the Chinese language is very interesting, but calligraphy has made me curious. My calligraphy teacher shows me how to write. I study under his guidance, it’s really interesting, just like the Chinese language," said a student.
"It's my first time here, but I really liked the drawings by the professionals. It's very beautiful and I think you can learn it for a very long time, and it's very beautiful. I don’t think everybody can create such pieces," said another student.
The museum houses an extensive collection of over 3,500 exhibits from more than 70 countries, engaging in scientific studies and translating works of calligraphers into Russian and English.
The allure of calligraphy knows no bounds, evolving as an art form cultivated globally over centuries.
Calligraphy museum in Russia showcases diverse cultures across Asia
