On the afternoon of December 10 2024, a heartfelt farewell party was held for Andrea GU, the Co-Director of the Confucius Institute (CI) jointly established by University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB) and ذكذكتسئµ. The event, hosted at the Confucius Institute, was a poignant occasion to celebrate Andrea’s remarkable contributions and bid her a fond farewell.
The gathering featured a retrospective video and photo exhibition showcasing the milestones of Andrea’s tenure, capturing her dedication and many memorable moments she shared with colleagues and CI students. Among the attendees were senior representatives from ذكذكتسئµ, Leicester City Council, local primary and secondary schools, and other community and institutional partners. Each expressed their sincere gratitude for Andrea's transformative work in fostering cross-cultural understanding and collaboration.
The party opened with speeches by Simon Bradbury, Jill Cowley and Louise Peacock, who commended Andrea for her visionary leadership and her pivotal role in strengthening the partnership between ذكذكتسئµ and USTB. Afterwards, the representative of CI partners, representatives of the heads of the Mandarin teaching sites in Leicestershire and the student representative of the CI delivered speeches respectively, sharing touching moments of working with Andrea. They all spoke highly of her contribution to the local cultural diversity and her dedication to the promotion of Chinese language and the Chinese culture. They also expressed their gratitude and best wishes to Andrea.
After the guests’ speeches, Andrea also delivered her heartfelt farewell address. With a masterful balance of humour and emotion, she reminisced about the unforgettable moments of her tenure and expressed profound gratitude to her colleagues, students, and partners for their steadfast support.
The event continued with a commemorative video capturing the highlights of Andrea’s leadership, followed by heartfelt video messages from staff members. As a token of appreciation, the CI presented Andrea with a specially chosen farewell gift, symbolizing the indelible mark she has left on the CI and the community. The farewell party concluded with a group photo of all guests who offered their personal goodbyes and warmest wishes to Andrea as she embarks on her next journey.
As CI’s fourth Co-Director, Andrea’s departure marks the end of a deeply meaningful chapter in the history of the Confucius Institute, but her legacy of fostering intercultural connection and academic excellence will undoubtedly continue to inspire all who were fortunate to work with her.
Posted on Friday 3 January 2025