On April 21, ahead of the 30th World Book Day, Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) and China Daily, the country's national English-language newspaper, co-hosted an interactive event themed "The Power of Reading." The event aimed to encourage a culture of reading and foster a love for good books across society.

Qu Yingpu, publisher and editor-in-chief of China Daily (first from left), and Wang Dinghua, secretary of the CPC BFSU committee (first from right), present souvenirs to the guests attending the event. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

Qu Yingpu, publisher and editor-in-chief of China Daily, and Wang Dinghua, secretary of the CPC BFSU committee, delivered keynote speeches. The event was also attended by Zhu Baoxia, deputy publisher of China Daily, and Zhao Gang, a member of the standing committee of the CPC BFSU committee and vice-president of the university.

In his speech, Qu Yingpu emphasized the deep-rooted tradition of reading in Chinese culture, reflected in values such as the pursuit of knowledge, personal growth, and societal contribution. "Every good book is a world of its own", he said, adding that reading original texts in foreign languages enables readers to transcend cultural boundaries and promote cross-civilization exchanges. He stressed the importance of grounding knowledge in real-world experience, urging young people to engage with the world, cultivate resilience, and contribute actively to cross-cultural communication.

Wang Dinghua described reading as a resting place for the soul, a vital thread in the inheritance of civilization, and a bridge for mutual cultural learning. In today's changing world, he noted, reading is essential for developing globally competent talent and strengthening international dialogue. He praised China Daily for building bridges of communication with words and BFSU for facilitating cultural exchange through language. This event marks the beginning of a collaboration to co-establish the School of International Journalism and Communication between the two institutions. He expressed hope that through events like World Book Day, more talented international communicators, full of literary grace and global vision, will be nurtured to contribute to mutual understanding between China and the world.

The event brought together guest speakers from various sectors who shared personal reading experiences and engaged in dialogue with nearly one hundred Chinese and international students in attendance.

Adding to the cultural atmosphere, BFSU students opened the event with a choral performance of My Gifts from the World and recited an original multilingual piece titled The Power of Reading.

Chinese and international students from BFSU recite a multilingual rendition of the original piece The Power of Reading. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

Students enjoy speeches from writers and experts at BFSU at an event themed "The Power of Reading" on April 21. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

The event was jointly organized by China Daily Culture Channel, BFSU's School of International Journalism and Communication, China Daily Website and the China Services Info platform (chinaservicesinfo.com).