“At the intersection of nature and culture, a visual and auditory spectacle”

The Opening Ceremony for the African Intercontinental Carnival 2021

A wonderful journey has begun

It will be another magical trip, to a different civilization

Today, you will learn a new story

Here, you will enter a new continent!

This year SUIS Qingpu’s Intercontinental Carnival will bring us together to explore the vast and spectacular African continent.

Entering the campus through the school lobby, the first things we could see were the exquisite decorations specially designed and constructed by the art teachers for this carnival. Embracing Egypt as the theme, they had decorated the campus with a sphinx, pyramids, the pharaoh’s gate and parts emulating the desert, so that our students could gain the feeling of being in Egypt when arriving at school.

This year, the Opening Ceremony of the African Carnival was dizzying and wonderful. Under the leadership of Co-acting Principals Ms. Sunny Huang and Dr. Adam Neufield as well as the Head of the Primary Department, Ms. Helen Liu, the teachers from the Chinese department started off the ceremony with an original poetry recitation of “Wonderful Africa”. Following the poem, Ms. Maxine Lu, General Principal of the Xiehe Education Group, provided a speech to all, opening the door for the students to this wonderful continent Africa. The English teachers introduced the audience to African culture with a storytelling and a wonderful play. Our bilingual teachers used music and dance to bring the audience some amazing and lively entertainment. In a choral setting, the music team sang the famous song “Circle of Life”, and, after teachers played a Botswanan marimba piece called, “Amoxoxo”, the school’s rock band performed the famous song “Africa” by Toto. Everyone seemed to be immensely enjoying the splendour of African music. Teachers from the physical education team delivered an exciting African dance using the theme song from the World Cup in South Africa, “Waka Waka”. Teachers from the art team surprised the audience with a very colourful dance called, “Magic Dance”. Parents brought to life a wonderful and traditional dance called “Sinte”, using their enthusiasm and energy to conquer the audience. Finally, in flash mob style, all teachers danced the song “Jerusalema”, bringing the atmosphere to its climax.

After witnessing this motivating and exhilarating event prepared by teachers and parents, all students could not wait to embark on this wonderful journey of getting to know Africa. See you at the African Intercontinental Carnival’s Closing Ceremony!