As the world marks the first UN International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations (June 10), a Russian PhD student at Beijing Foreign Studies University shares how her love for music and language reveals surprising connections between cultures. 🎻📚
Speaking with CGTN’s Enoch Wong, the scholar explained how her research in contrastive linguistics – comparing Chinese, Russian, and English – uncovers hidden similarities that mirror broader cultural exchanges. 🧠💡 'Harmony isn’t about erasing differences,' she noted, 'but amplifying shared values through understanding.'
Her secret weapon? A violin. 🎶 The student uses musical collaborations to demonstrate how traditions blend: 'When I play Chinese folk songs with Russian classmates, we create something new yet familiar – like how civilizations evolve through dialogue.'
Central to her perspective is the Chinese character ‘he’ (和), symbolizing harmony through balance. 🌸 'This concept isn’t static – it’s alive in cross-cultural friendships and global youth initiatives today,' she said, pointing to growing interest in multilingual education and collaborative art projects worldwide.
With Gen Z driving a 40% surge in language-learning app usage (Duolingo 2024 data), her message resonates: Understanding different cultures starts with curiosity – whether through a song, a conversation, or a shared meme. 💬✨
