Moroke Sekoboto
THE National University of Lesotho (NUL) and the Confucius Institute have celebrated the 2026 UN Chinese Language Day, highlighting growing educational and cultural ties between Lesotho and China.
With 1530 learners at NUL’s Confucius Institute and plans for a bachelor’s degree programme, the event marked a deepened partnership and language exchange.
Speaking at the event held at the NUL campus on Friday, the Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy in Maseru, Lu Hui, expressed appreciation to NUL and the Confucius Institute for their dedicated efforts in promoting Chinese language education.
Mr Hui said they had held the first Chinese Language Day event in Lesotho the previous year, and noted that it was inspiring to see an increasing number of Basotho youth learning Chinese and exploring Chinese culture, adding new vitality to people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
He said that as one of the six official languages of the United Nations, Chinese was spoken by more than one billion people worldwide.
“Today, I would like to share three reflections on the Chinese Language Day: as a bridge of friendship, as an opportunity for development, and as a key to understanding our world and shaping our future,” Mr Hui said.
“First, the Chinese language was a bridge for connectivity and mutual understanding. Language was the carrier of culture and the bond between people. The steady development of Chinese language education in Lesotho has created an increasingly strong platform for communication between our two countries.
“This semester alone, the Confucius Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology at NUL had provided Chinese language training to 1530 learners. Chinese had been introduced as an elective course at NUL, and there were plans to establish a Bachelor’s programme in Chinese Language in the coming semester. Over the past three years, 1689 Basotho youth had participated in both online and in-person study and training programmes in China.”
He added that these facts showed that Chinese was becoming part of the learning experience of more Basotho people, bringing the two nations closer together. He further stated that the Chinese language was an opportunity for youth development and practical cooperation.
“Mastering Chinese opened up broad prospects for personal growth and national development. It connected Lesotho to China’s vast market, advanced science and technology, and mature development experience, as well as the fast-growing China-Africa cooperation. The fruits of language learning were tangible and inspiring.”
He said many Basotho students who had studied or trained in China had become important liaisons promoting China-Africa economic and trade cooperation. He added that some of them had started their own businesses successfully and contributed to the local economy and employment; others had returned to serve as outstanding teachers and managers of Confucius Institutes and Classrooms, while many had become translators and technical experts in China-Lesotho cooperation projects, passing on the torch of language education and practical cooperation.
“For Basotho youth, learning Chinese was embracing a promising future of growth, success and contribution. The Chinese language was a key to inheriting civilisational wisdom, addressing global challenges and building a fairer international order. The Chinese language carried 5000 years of fine traditional Chinese culture, embodying the time-honoured philosophy of harmony, inclusiveness, and mutual benefit. This cultural wisdom was highly consistent with the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity and the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.
“Today, our world was facing rising instability and uncertainty. The deficit in peace, development and governance was widening, and the international community was calling for solidarity and cooperation. Against this backdrop, China had put forward four major global initiatives: the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative.”
He outlined that the year marked the third anniversary of the Global Civilization Initiative, which advocated respect for the diversity of civilisations and robust international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation. He stressed that China not only offered visions and solutions for global challenges but also took concrete actions to promote peace talks and facilitate political settlement of hotspot issues, upheld an objective and impartial stance, and played a constructive role in easing tensions in the Middle East and beyond.
“As a messenger of Chinese civilization, the Chinese language enabled the world to understand China’s governance wisdom and global propositions,” Mr Hui said.
For his part, NUL Vice-Chancellor, Professor Isaac Olusola Fajana, championed Chinese language learning as a key tool for enhancing global communication, strengthening international cooperation, and opening new opportunities for students.
Prof Fajana said he viewed proficiency in Chinese as essential for fostering cultural understanding and bridging nations.
“Language was not merely a tool for communication—it was the mirror of thought, the reservoir of memory, and a builder of peace. As our world became increasingly interconnected, proficiency in multiple languages, including Chinese, opened doors to new opportunities and enhanced global communication.
“Let us continue to foster cultural understanding, promote language learning, and build bridges between nations. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our students to immerse themselves in one of the world’s oldest and most vibrant civilisations,” Prof Fajana said.