2012年4月16日威廉玛丽大学孔子学院（下面简称“威大孔院”）经过三个月的紧张筹备，终于在美国最古老的教学楼Wren Building迎来了揭牌仪式，汉办王永利副主任、中国驻美大使馆方茂田公参和北京师范大学刘川生书记亲自率领各自代表团参加了揭牌仪式。
美方出席揭牌仪式的有：前美国驻华大使Joe Prueher夫妇、弗吉尼亚州参议员Tommy Nerment、威廉斯堡市市长Clyde Haulman、威廉玛丽大学的校长Taylor Reveley、教务长Michael Halleran、文理学院院长Gene Tracy、法学院院长Dave Douglas等主要院系负责人以及北师大在美国的校友Ross Huang副教务长、以及威大孔院董事会主席Steve Hanson主持了揭牌仪式。
当天的揭牌仪式包含了诸多活动：首先是威廉玛丽大学的校长Taylor Reveley在家中宴请各方领导人，然后是集体参观孔子学院的办公楼Rowe House、观摩第一个社区的汉语推广课程——威大幼儿园初级汉语班、之后到威大图书馆Swen Library欣赏孔院捐赠的中国山水画和威大学生的中国书画展览、在美国历史上最古老的教室里旁听威大中文部一年级的汉语课程，揭牌仪式之后是简短的盛装游行和中国舞蹈以及功夫表演，表演者主要是威大的学生还有来自首都华盛顿最早的专业舞狮队。揭牌仪式的席间来自北师大艺术与传媒学院的师生弹奏中国民乐和表演少数民族舞蹈助兴。刘川生书记代表北师大为威大孔院捐赠了丝织的孔子画像，题为“万世师表”。
在揭牌仪式上各方领导都强调了在美国推广汉语教学，传播中国文化的重要性。汉办的王主任说，为了支持奥巴马总统的10万美国学生到中国留学的计划，汉办在未来的几年内将向美国学生提供10万个奖学金名额。教务长Michael Halleran说威大很荣幸地加入汉办在全球300多家孔院的大家庭。目前在弗吉尼亚州，威大孔院是仅晚于弗吉尼亚北部乔治梅森大学开设的第二家孔子学院，能够更好地满足该州西南部地区对于汉语日益增长的需求。美方院长汤雁方说，威大孔院的成立将不仅服务于威大，而且会让周边的城市居民也同样受益。刘川生书记说，我们生活在快速变化的社会，为了让人们彼此了解不同的文化，语言是个重要的载体。副教务长以及威大国际处负责人Steve Hanson说，威大孔院可以直接促进威大对于中国的语言、文化、历史以及社会的专业研究，会在中方合作院校北师大的大力支持下把关于中国和东亚的研究提升到一个新的高度。4月17日下午即将开展的威大-北师大关于中国古典哲学的学者论坛将会印证这一点。
方茂田公参画龙点睛式的发言为刚刚揭牌的威大孔院做了最佳评价。自从他担任公参一职以来，参与了四次与孔子学院相关的活动，这次是最令人兴奋、印象深刻的。
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图片中的人物从左至右分别是：中国驻美大使馆方茂田公参、威大孔院中方院长马磊、威大孔院美方院长汤雁方、威大副教务长Steve Hanson，教务长Michael Halleran，威大校长Tylor Reveley, 北师大刘川生书记、汉办王永利副主任、北师大韩震副校长、北师大外文学院程晓堂院长，左前方就座的是州参议员Tommy Nerment。
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从左至右：北师大外文学院校友Ross Huang、威大副教务长Steve Hanson、威大校长Tylor Reveley、北师大刘川生书记、北师大外文学院院长程晓堂、北师大国际处单力真副处长。
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代表团参观威大中文部的汉语课堂，上课的地点是美国最古老但是依然使用的教室Grammar School Classroom。
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在威大孔院前面的合影：后排中方院长马磊、美方院长汤雁方，前排：程晓堂院长、韩震副校长、方茂田公参、Steve Hanson副教务长、刘川生书记、王永利副主任。
以下是一些链接。
孔子学院落户美国历史第二悠久高校
2012年04月17日11:34:42
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2012-04/17/c_111792263.htm
新华网华盛顿４月１６日电（记者孙浩 王丰丰）由美国威廉－玛丽学院和北京师范大学合办的孔子学院１６日正式揭牌，象征着中华文化的又一颗种子在美国历史第二悠久的高等学府落地生根。
记者从校方了解到，这所孔子学院在中国国家汉办支持下由威廉－玛丽学院和北师大合办，首期项目为期５年，将提供汉语和中华文化课程、提供教师培训以及组织各类文化活动。北师大已向该校派出了志愿者教师支援。
威廉－玛丽学院校长泰勒·雷弗利在揭牌仪式上致辞时说，孔子学院的落户将有力推动该校的汉语教学和中华文化传播，而且影响力还将辐射到周边地区。
北京师范大学党委书记刘川生表示，在全球化时代，教育的开放之势已不可逆转，而中华文化本身也具有开放而包容的特性，相信这所孔子学院将成为中美两座高等学府之间合作交流的桥梁，成为两校师生互相了解对方文化的重要窗口，也期待借助这个平台传播仁爱、包容、多元、共生的和谐世界观。
孔子学院的中方院长马磊告诉记者，本学期已被这所美国公立名校设为“中国文化学期”，因此孔子学院在正式揭牌前已经积极发挥起“文化使者”的作用。
国家汉办副主任王永利、中国驻美大使馆教育处公使衔参赞方茂田等人也出席了当天的揭牌仪式。
威廉－玛丽学院位于美国弗吉尼亚州威廉斯堡，建于１６９３年，在美国高等教育机构中，建校时间仅晚于美国最古老大学哈佛大学。
美国如今已成为全世界设立孔子学院和孔子课堂最多的国家。目前美国４８个州已有８０余所孔子学院和２９９个孔子课堂，其中一些设立在斯坦福大学、哥伦比亚大学、芝加哥大学等一流名校。目前，美国孔子学院共开设汉语课程６１２７班次，注册学生近１６万人，还举办了２８００余场次文化活动。
William & Mary opens Confucius Institute
by Beth Stefanik and Megan Shearin|April 16, 2012
http://www.wm.edu/news/stories/2012/william--mary-opens-confucius-institute-123.php
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Celebrating the opening of the WMCI: The unveiling of the WMCI plaque by members of the College of William & Mary, the WMCI, Hanban, Beijing Normal University, and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China. Seated is Senator Tommy Norment.
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Dancing dragon: Following the celebratory lunch, a traditional dragon dance was performed in the Sunken Garden. Professional lion dancers and martial artists from Washington, D.C., were on hand to lead the parade while W&M students participated with a drum performance, a Yangge dance performance, a Tibetan dance performance and a Uygur dance performance.
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Musical entertainment: Four folk musicians from BNU provided traditional Chinese music. Here, one of the performers plays the guzheng, one of the most ancient Chinese traditional music instruments.
The College of William & Mary officially opened its Confucius Institute on Monday, April 16, with a day-long celebration of events involving William & Mary faculty and administrators, as well as delegates from Beijing Normal University (BNU), the Office of Chinese Language Council International (Hanban) and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China.
The William & Mary Confucius Institute (WMCI)is a collaborative partnership with BNU and Hanban, and will offer Mandarin language and Chinese culture classes, provide teacher training, and augment other programs on Chinese culture for the College and local communities.
“The William & Mary Confucius Institute will contribute significantly to the study of Chinese language and culture at our university and throughout the region,” said President Taylor Reveley. “It’s a special delight for us to celebrate the opening of our Confucius Institute together with President Liu of Beijing Normal University, Deputy Director Wang of Hanban, and Minister Counsellor Fang of the Chinese Embassy, as well as many other distinguished representatives of their organizations.”
The WMCI will become part of a network of more than 300 Confucius Institutes worldwide, and is only the second Confucius Institute established at a university in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
“It’s especially significant that there are only two Confucius Institutes in the Commonwealth of Virginia,” said Provost Michael R. Halleran. “The William & Mary Confucius Institute will meet a growing interest in and demand for information about China and Chinese language education here in southeastern Virginia.”
Yanfang Tang, director of the WMCI, echoed these sentiments.
“The opening of William & Mary's Confucius Institute is a significant event for the College and for our surrounding Tidewater community, providing further international educational programs and activities,” she said. “I expect a bright future where these varied initiatives will lead to a greater understanding of Chinese language and culture.”
The grand opening schedule included a private tour of Rowe House, the home of the Confucius Institute at William & Mary, as well as a trip to the College Child Care Center to observe Mandarin language classes in action. A guided tour of Chinese scrolls and exhibits at Swem Library was led by Dean Carrie Cooper and Bea Hardy, director of the Special Collection Research Center, after which delegates witnessed a College Mandarin class in the Wren Building’s historic grammar school classroom.
A formal lunch was served in the Great Hall of the Wren Building, with musical entertainment provided by four folk musicians from BNU. The quartet included four traditional Chinese folk musical instruments: guzheng, erhu, pipa, and yangqin. Ms. Wang Jie, a visiting instructor of dance from Beijing Normal University, performed a dance entitled, “A Uygur Girl,” which expressed a girl’s happiness after falling in love. An official WMCI plaque was also unveiled at the end of the lunch program.
“This is just the very beginning stage of the William & Mary Confucius Institute,” said Deputy Director General of Hanban Wang Yongli. “We are very dedicated to continuing this relationship between the U.S. and Hanban, and to help the development and understanding of Chinese language and culture through Confucius Institutes such as this one at William & Mary.”
Following the celebratory lunch, a traditional dragon dance was performed in the Sunken Garden. Professional lion dancers and martial artists from Washington, D.C., were on hand to lead the parade while William & Mary students participated with a drum performance, a Yangge dance performance, a Tibetan dance performance and a Uygur dance performance. Three students also engaged in a martial arts display, and Emily Wilcox, a visiting assistant professor of Chinese Studies, performed sword choreography. The events were a culmination of a Chinese Cultural Semester organized by the WMCI.
“We are living in a fast changing world and it’s important to understand each others cultures together, and language is key to the understanding of cultures,” said Liu Chuansheng, Chairperson of University Council for Beijing Normal University. “I believe the WMCI is creating a bridge between our two universities, which will lead to mutual understanding between our two cultures.”
On Tuesday, April 17, the WMCI will host its first official event, the Faculty Forum on Confucian Classics. Participating in the forum will be W&M faculty members T.J. Cheng, Eric Han, Yanfang Tang, Emily Wilcox, Tomoko Connolly and Xin Wu, as well as eminent scholars from BNU, including Professors Wangeng Zheng, Zhen Kang and Zhen Han. Participants will present their research and perspectives on Chinese classics such as the Book of Changes and works by authors such as Confucius and Sun Zi, also known as Sun Tzu.
“The William & Mary Confucius Institute builds directly on our remarkable strengths in the study of Chinese language, culture, history and society here on campus,” said Stephen E. Hanson, vice provost for international affairs and director of the Reves Center. “The generous support of our Chinese partners will propel us to an even higher level of visibility and prominence in Chinese and East Asian Studies in the years ahead.”
Fang Maotian, Minister Counsellor for Education Affairs, Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, summed up the day in his remarks during lunch.
“Education is one of the core elements in the China and U.S. people to people communication framework,” said Fang.“Young students are our future.Through the Confucius Institute we hope that the students at the College will learn Chinese language, be exposed to our rich culture and develop a cross-cultural communication capacity.”
Va college opens Confucius Institute |
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WILLIAMSBURG, Va.(AP) -- The College of William and Mary has opened an institute that promotes Chinese language and culture. The college on Monday held the grand opening of the Confucius Institute, a partnership with Beijing Normal University and the Office of Chinese Language Council International. The groups are working with the college to offer Mandarin language and Chinese culture courses, provide teacher training and support overseas-study programs. William and Mary faculty and administrators, as well as delegates from Beijing Normal, the language council and the Embassy of the People's Republic of China, attended the event. The institute is among 300 worldwide. Other schools in the mid-Atlantic region that have established Confucius Institutes include George Mason University, the University of Maryland and North Carolina State University. 孔子学院揭牌仪式上庆祝演出：http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/zfNSIJ62GCo |