This partnership with TAG-Org is a valuable event in the history of cultural interaction - Yang

AMMAN--- April 2, 2009 --- Under the patronage of HE Dr. Sabri Irbeihat, Minister of Culture, a high-status ceremony was held to celebrate the inauguration of the Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Confucius Institute at the Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Business Forum (TAG-Business) / TAG-College of Business (TAG-College) on April 1, 2009.

The ceremony was attended by the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Jordan Mr. Yuhang Yang, Professor Zhao Dayu, president of Shenyang University, Dr. Adel Tweisi, president of the Steering Committee of the Al-Hassan Scientific City, and a number of distinctive scholarly leaders, university presidents, deans, and professors, in addition to state officials, businesspeople and diplomats.

HE Dr. Irbeihat highly commended his participation in this cultural event which represents another unmatched means to strengthen mutual cultural ties between countries and bridge the gap between the Chinese and Arab nations.

“The inauguration of the Confucius Institute for teaching Chinese language represents an exceptional stage in enhancing the bilateral cooperation between Jordan and China,” he said.

In addition, Dr. Irbeihat stated that “We, at the Ministry of Culture, are determined, similar to our friends in China, to preserve the interaction between civilizations and we are keen to promote the Jordanian and Arab culture to the whole world.”

From his part, Ambassador Yang, extended his thanks and appreciation to the Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organization (TAG-Org) for its comprehensive cooperation and support to establish and launch the Institute saying that “this partnership with TAG-Org is a valuable event in the history of cultural interaction.”

“We have strong belief in this cooperation and we trust that TAG-Confucius will be one of the remarkable institutes that will serve the purpose of spreading the Chinese culture and language as a tool to bring the world together and break barriers,” he said.

On this occasion, the Chinese Ambassador presented the Institute’s library with more than three thousand books.
Meanwhile, Mr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, TAG-Org chairman and CEO, said that “we all realize the significant role of the People’s Republic of China in the past, present and in the future.”

“I would like to pause here for a moment regarding the “future’ to remind everyone of what I said previously that China will lead the world within the next ten years as an economic and commercial force and will form a massive economic bloc with other countries – including Arab countries- due to the capacity of its resources, markets and capabilities,” he added.

He stated that “His Majesty King Abdullah II who recently visited China, stressed on the growing role of China on the international arena and we have seen this in many areas.”

Mr. Abu-Ghazaleh also announced that TAG-Confucius will be willing to receive people who wish to visit China to assist them in conducting the required travelling procedures.

Meanwhile, Mr. Abu-Ghazaleh added that another TAG-Confucius Institute will open in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia to be followed by more branches to cover most of the Arab countries.

In September 2008, an exclusive agreement was signed between TAG-Org and the HanBan Institute, the executive body of the Chinese Language Council International affiliated to China's Ministry of Education, to establish the TAG-Confucius Institute.
The agreement was signed between Mr. Abu-Ghazaleh and the former Chinese ambassador to Jordan HE Mr. Gong Xiaosheng.
Following this agreement, another Memorandum of Understanding was signed (MoU) in December 2008 between the Organization and the Chinese governmental Shenyang University.
The TAG-Confucius Institute will offer Chinese language courses for non-native speakers, while hosting researchers and language instructors from China for this purpose, in addition to offering lectures and workshops for businesspeople and governmental sector representatives, which aim to enhance cultural knowledge and exchange.
The Institute will also offer Chinese language courses for school students.