Ann Derwin, Ambassador of Ireland to China, gives a keynote speech, at the Embassy of Ireland in China during an open day event - Discovering Ireland - in Beijing on June 22, 2024, celebrating the 45th anniversary of Ireland-China diplomatic relations. Photo: Dong Feng/GT

In passionate display of Irish Music, Irish dairy products, Irish cuisine and beverages, the Embassy of Ireland in China hosted open day - Discovering Ireland - in Beijing on Saturday, celebrating the 45th anniversary of Ireland-China diplomatic relations. Ireland's top diplomat in China told the Global Times that "the cultural exchanges between our two peoples are being deepened through various events." 

Ann Derwin, Ambassador of Ireland to China, gave a keynote speech, capped by reading an Irish poem titled "The Lost Land" by Eavan Boland. Sharing her outlook on bilateral ties, Derwin told the Global Times that "today is a wonderful day and we are celebrating 45 years of diplomatic relations between Ireland and China. Ireland and China have very strong relationship and we've seen a lot of cultural and people-to-people's exchange. Our trade and our commercial exchange continue to grow." 

"We've seen the travel over the last five years, which is really remarkable, in addition to growth in trade of goods and services. We have also seen a very strong [exchange] in education. Here in China we have developed very impressive trans-national education programs," said Derwin. 

"So we have over 100 joint programs right across China and we have 10 joint institutions or joint colleges. There are about 8,000 students in China that are actually benefit from an Irish education. We think that students who come to Ireland and study an Irish curriculum here in China. In the future, they're going to have a good understanding of Ireland and our culture. I think they will help bridge our two countries. So we're laying a very strong foundation for the future, for future culture and people-to-people exchange," she stressed. 

Visitors taste Irish Whiskey and learn more about its history at the Embassy of Ireland in China during open day event - Discovering Ireland - in Beijing on June 22, 2024. Photo: Dong Feng/GT

Cultural exchanges

In the embassy's front courtyard, visitors enjoyed watching performances of River Dance. 

In the garden which surrounds the embassy, visitors had a chance to experience and learn more about Irish Whiskey, dairy products, water filtration systems, education consultation and visa consultation services. 

Visitors taste Irish Whiskey and learn more about its history at the Embassy of Ireland in China during open day event - Discovering Ireland - in Beijing on June 22, 2024. Photo: Dong Feng/GT

Some visitors also enjoyed their time with children in the indoor painting corner and face painting.

Irish music played by talented musicians rang throughout the venue, visitors couldn't help from singing and dancing. Some even recorded video clips for social media. 

In the courtyard of the embassy, six banners, featuring six poets, most of them were awarded Nobel Prizes - Eavan Boland, Eva Gore-Booth, Seamus Heaney, W.B. Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, and Samuel Beckett were on prominent display.

In the indoor area, there was a section set up with pop-up banners, showcasing Irish novelist James Joyce: A Global Odyssey. In a fashion showcase, six Irish fashion designers' work samples were on display.

Many visitors took a closer look at the banners to learn more about Joyce and the fashion. Some even scanned the QR codes on the fashion stand, through which they could buy the items. 

Ambassador Derwin shared with the Global Times that the two countries had a lot of cultural exchange last year (in 2023). 

"We were country of honor in Chengdu last year, celebrating Joyce, our great writer. This year, today, we are celebrating the works of six Irish poets. Each month for this year, we're actually choose a different theme and we're picking a Chinese book and a book by an Irish author. We're highlighting those books. So we've got a lot of engagement here in China from different people - from academics, from students, but also from the general public. We're choose a great variety of different book [that is] something I think appeal to everyone," she said. 

With such a solid foundation, Derwin provided an overview of even more upcoming cultural and art exchanges.

"We've had a lot of art exchange and we brought exhibits over and opened wonderful art exhibition - W.B Yeats: Lapis Lazuli. This is just one example of cultural exchange. I think over the future, we are going to see, with visa free travel, we'll have more Irish people than ever planning to come to China, and we have more Chinese students coming to study in Ireland," said Derwin.

Lapis Lazuli is a poem by William Butler Yeats, an Irish poet, dramatist, and prose writer. The exhibition kicked off on June 14 and will last till July 4. 

Ann Derwin, Ambassador of Ireland to China, gifts a book to Fu Hao, a research professor at the Institute of Foreign Literature, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, at the Embassy of Ireland in China during open day event - Discovering Ireland - in Beijing on June 22, 2024. Photo: Dong Feng/GT

In addition, Hainan Airlines resumed direct flights between Dublin and Beijing on April 2. Starting from June, the airline will operate four direct flights, departing on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. 

The ambassador expressed her optimistic outlook for more cultural exchanges between the two peoples. 

"I think people-to-people exchanges are so worth in building understanding and sharing cultural appreciation. I have no doubt they'll go from strength to strength for the years to come," Derwin said.