A signature ceremony was held Friday in Lebanon's University of Saint Joseph (USJ), which will host the first Confucius Institute in Arab countries to offer instruction in Chinese language and culture.

"USJ is the first university in Lebanon to establish direct exchange programs with China," Professor Rene Chamussy sj., President of USJ, said at the ceremony, adding that "this will give this country and region a competitive advantage now as China is emerging as a leading economic force in the world."

Being part of the Chinese government's Confucius Institute project worldwide, Confucius Institute at USJ is a non-profit institution which dedicates to promote Chinese language and culture, he said.

The Confucius Institute at USJ will serve communities, business, schools, government, nonprofit organizations and the media throughout Lebanon and Arabic world by offering Chinese language, Chinese medicine, Chinese politics and economics, Chinese martial art and Chinese cuisine instruction, he added.

USJ was selected as a site because of "its historic education commitment and its extensive outreach programs related to East Asia," said Liu Xianghua, the Chinese Ambassador in Lebanon, who signed the agreement with USJ.

"Meanwhile, Confucius Institute's public programs in Chinese language, culture and business practices will help USJ and Lebanon master the challenges and opportunities of our increasingly integrated world," She added.

Confucius is one of the most famous thinker, educator and philosopher in the Chinese as well as the whole world history. He revolutionized education in China 2,500 years ago by making it accessible to commoners. And now he found his site in Lebanon to spread wisdom in the Arabic world.

Source: Xinhua