The Chinese Embassy in Harare hosted an International Children’s Day Open House that brought together Zimbabwean and Chinese children for a celebration of culture, learning and friendship.
Through music, dance, martial arts, calligraphy, paper-cutting and traditional games, the event highlighted the role of cultural exchange in education and child development.
Hosted by Chinese Ambassador Zhou Ding and his wife, Madame Lyu Renhong on Friday, the programme drew government officials, educators, parents and learners. It also formed part of the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, under which nearly 600 cultural, educational and social activities are planned across Africa.
Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Angeline Gata described children as Zimbabwe’s greatest investment and urged learners to embrace opportunities that broaden their knowledge and strengthen their character.
She said education goes beyond classroom instruction to include values such as discipline, resilience, sportsmanship and community service.
Gata said cultural exchange helps young people appreciate diversity, learn positive values and develop skills needed for future success.
She also reaffirmed Zimbabwe’s commitment to providing quality education and protecting children from abuse, exploitation, child marriage, drug abuse and other social challenges.
Ambassador Zhou said the event celebrated “the rights, joy, strength and resilience of children across the world” while reinforcing the enduring friendship between Zimbabwe and China.
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Quoting a Chinese proverb — “When the youth are strong, the nation thrives” — he encouraged learners to pursue knowledge, embrace innovation and remain open to other cultures.
Zhou highlighted growing cooperation between the two countries in education, including scholarships, vocational training and academic exchanges, as well as projects such as the High Performance Computing Centre at the University of Zimbabwe and the China-Zimbabwe Engineering Technology Academy at Harare Polytechnic.
Madame Lyu said children are the future of every nation and encouraged learners to remain curious and open-minded.
“Every language you learn gives you a new lens to see the world. Every culture you explore opens a new door. Every friendship you build becomes a bridge connecting our hearts,” she said.
She expressed hope that learners would become ambassadors of Zimbabwe-China friendship and help deepen people-to-people ties between the two countries.
As children explored cultural exhibits, sampled Chinese cuisine and participated in interactive activities, the event underscored the value of education, cultural understanding and international friendship in shaping future generations.
