The City of Unley, in partnership with the Confucius Institute, will host Ni Hao Unley on Friday 1 April, from 3.30pm on Oxford Terrace.
The festival is the first of its kind to be held in Unley and aims to celebrate Chinese culture while creating and further strengthening opportunities between South Australia and Chinese businesses and students.
City of Unley Mayor Lachlan Clyne said the festival would be a feast for the senses.
“The festival will feature everything from Lion Dancing to Tai Chi to delicious traditional Chinese food,” Mr Clyne said.
The City of Unley and the Confucius Institute will also sign a Memorandum of Understanding at the event, formalizing a mutually beneficial relationship between the two parties by setting out arrangements for cooperation and the coordination of resources.
Confucius Institute Director Mobo Gao said that one of the key aims of the Confucius Institute is to help build understanding between Australia and China, and what better way to do that than to engage with a local community like the City of Unley.
“We hope the cooperation between the City of Unley and the Confucius Institute can serve as an example of the great things that can be achieved when local government take a leading role in engagement with China,” said Mobo Gao.
Mayor Clyne said the partnership aims to strengthen and consolidate links between the City of Unley and China, economic and cultural, in business and in education. He said he believes there is great opportunity for Unley as a community to embrace international students in a greater way.
“International students add such wonderful diversity to our community and are also a large driver of the South Australian economy, a win-win in my eyes.”
The Ni Hao Unley festival is expected to attract upwards of 2,000 people from all over Adelaide.
Mr Clyne will also participate in an upcoming State Government trade mission to South Australia’s sister state Shandong Provence (at his own cost) to source more opportunities on how the City can leverage its growing relationship with China.
For more event information visit the Ni Hao Unley Facebook page.