A student performs Chinese calligraphy at a celebration held by the Confucius Institute at the University of Helsinki, Finland, on September 26

On September 27, the first Confucius Institute Day, all Confucius Institutes and Confucius Classrooms worldwide, along with Hanban, the Confucius Institute Headquarters in Beijing, celebrated the 10th anniversary of the institute's establishment by providing cultural experiences to millions of people.

The Confucius Institute, named after ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius (551-479 B.C.), is a non-profit entity providing a better understanding of Chinese culture through language tuition and cultural events in overseas universities. The first such institute was established in Uzbekistan in 2004.

To date, China has opened 472 Confucius Institutes in universities and 730 Confucius Classrooms in elementary and secondary schools in 123 countries and regions. A total of 50,000 teachers and volunteers have been dispatched abroad, educating approximately 850,000 students around the globe.

In a letter of congratulations to the institute on its 10th anniversary, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Confucius Institutes have taught the Chinese language over the past decade, which has played a key role in promoting positive relations with other countries.

"Confucius Institutes belong to the whole world, not just China," Xi wrote. "Let us continue to promote the civilizations and cultures of all people, enhance communication and create a brighter future together."

A bridge between cultures

The institute at Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand, east of the international dateline, was the first to kick off the celebrations; the one at the University of Hawaii was the last.

In the east of the United States, Confucius Institutes at Bryant University, the University of New Hampshire, University of Massachusetts, University of Rhode Island, and Central Connecticut State University held a "Chinese Culture Night" in Providence, Rhode Island. They also staged a series of Chinese cultural events at the WaterFire festival of Providence, attracting both local people and tourists.

Students from Bryant University and China's Zhejiang University performed the Chinese dragon dance, a kungfu show, Peking opera and Chinese traditional music.

The WaterFire is a widely attended event, attracting tens of thousands of people every year.

Zhang Meifang, Chinese Deputy Consul General in New York City, said Confucius Institutes enrich the festival and serve as a bridge connecting various cultures, leading to a harmonious and diversified community.

Established in October 2006, the Confucius Institute at Bryant University was the first China-funded institute in southern New England dedicated to the promotion of Chinese language and culture. Each year, some 2,000 people study the Chinese language as well as Chinese culture and arts here.

"We've worked very hard in the past eight years. [Everyone agrees] it has been a very great way to promote cultural exchanges," said Ronald K. Machtley, President of Bryant University.

Currently, the United States hosts 100 Confucius Institutes and 358 Confucius Classrooms teaching Chinese to 220,000 American students in 2014, according to Hanban. Susan Pertel Jain, Executive Director of the Confucius Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a professor of art, has allowed her own passion for Chinese art to be absorbed into the institute's programs.

"People need to be inspired. Chinese art often provides the strongest impetus to learn the language," said Jain, who holds degrees in Chinese language and Asian theater.

She emphasized that her institute is not only a place for learning the Chinese language, but also provides a space for local art professionals for greater interactions with their Chinese counterparts.

In Washington, D.C., there was no Confucius Institute until 2013, when George Washington University opened the city's first. Since its launch, the institute has served more than 100 working professionals, including employees of foreign embassies, neighboring universities and the federal government, according to Steven Knapp, President of the university. Knapp is serving a two-year term as one of the 10 members of the Council of Confucius Institute Headquarters, a governing body and advisory board combined for Confucius Institutes worldwide.

"One of the unique roles and opportunities we have as a Confucius Institute is not only to reach out to our own students and educate them in Chinese language, history and culture, but also to reach beyond our campus to our neighbors," Knapp said, while delivering the opening speech at a ceremony hosted by the George Washington University Confucius Institute on September 26.

During the event, Greta Morris, acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs and Public Diplomacy at the U.S. State Department, also gave a brief address congratulating the institute for spreading Chinese culture in Washington, D.C.

"As a diplomat as well as a state department official who has studied and used foreign language in my overseas postings, I know how important it is to be able to speak and understand another language," she said. "Fluency in a foreign language is not only necessary for communication, but the key to understanding another culture."

Eric Baker is studying at the George Washington University's Confucius Institute. The Virginia-based Baker, who specializes in international employee relocations, hopes his studies at the institute will help him focus on East Asia.

Baker added that he feels at home at the center where he's made many friends from different cultures. "It's a place where people of all ages and backgrounds, in all stages of their careers, can come to exchange their common interest in China," he said. "It is truly a great community, and it offers a haven to those who want to be a part of it."

Business is a major factor in motivating local people to learn Chinese at the Confucius Institutes, according to Li Ning, who taught Chinese at the Confucius Institute at Heidelberg University, Germany, from 2011 to 2013.

"The students have practical goals. Many or their parents are business people traveling between Heidelberg and Beijing or other Chinese provinces many times a year. They believe knowing some Chinese can help their business," Li said.

In Europe, there are 158 Confucius Institutes and 178 Confucius Classrooms, according to Hanban. Germany alone hosts 15 Confucius Institutes and three Confucius Classrooms.

The Confucius Institute at Heidelberg University was jointly established by the university and China's Shanghai Jiao Tong University in April 2010. While offering language courses for the public at large, the institute also focuses on culture, said Li. Its main target groups are academics, university and secondary-school students, teachers of Chinese, and members of commercial enterprises.

"We often hold seminars, conferences and workshops - sometimes with other institutes - on Chinese painting, calligraphy, music and literature, as well as courses in traditional Chinese medicine," Li said.

In Italy, the Confucius Institute at La Sapienza University in Rome was the first of the 11 Confucius Institutes to be established in the country. Its Italian director, Federico Masini, was emphatic about the success of the program.

"When we established the Confucius Institute in Rome eight years ago, many wondered how we could possibly bring together two cultures so different. Today, thanks to mutual willingness and curiosity, we have proved it can be done," Masini said.

Exchange between Italians and Chinese at the institute has gone beyond just language learning.

"I have been practicing tai chi for five years. That is why I am learning Chinese," said Piero del Vecchio from Rome. A specific interest or goal is usually needed to draw someone to such a distant language, the Italian added.

"For some people, it is the hope of finding more business opportunities, for students the hope of a better future. For me, it was tai chi. The wisdom I have derived from tai chi has benefited my body and mind," he said.

Masini said the interaction between the two cultures would bring long-term benefits for Italian society. "Cultural exchanges with China will impact positively on our society as a whole. The exchanges will also contribute to preparing Italian citizens to be more open-minded."

Comprehensively inclusive

In Cyprus, the University of Cyprus and Beijing Institute of Education officially started cooperation on October 27, marking the event with an inauguration ceremony for the Confucius Institute at the university.

President of the university Nicos Anastasiades said the interaction would lead to innovative and progressive collaboration in academics and research.

In Hungary, the Central and Eastern Europe Chinese Language Teachers' Training Center began its first training course at the Confucius Institute of Eotvos Lorand University in Budapest in June. Dozens of local Chinese language teachers from 11 Central and Eastern European countries attended the training.

In Africa, China operates 42 Confucius Institutes at many of Africa's top universities, stretching from Cape Town in South Africa to Cairo in Egypt.

China also runs one of the world's largest short-term training programs. The African Talents Program, launched in 2012, aims to train 30,000 African professionals in China by 2015, having started in 2013; 18,000 Africans will receive full scholarship to study at Chinese universities.

Ghana's first and only Confucius Institute was established at the University of Ghana in May 2013. Mei Meilian, Director of the institute, said it is meant to help Ghanaians learn Chinese, enjoy the Chinese culture and further fortify China-Ghana relations.

Ignatius Suglo is a graduate of the University of Ghana. Having won the special prize for the overall best position in the Chinese Bridge Competition, he went on to represent his country in the worldwide Chinese Bridge Competition this year.

The competition, an international one sponsored by Hanban, aims to whet students' enthusiasm worldwide to learn Chinese and strengthen the global understanding of the language and culture.

Suglo participated in the world competition leg in Beijing and won the second place among all African students. He was in the first batch of students at the university to learn Chinese.

"Looking back after many years, I think it has paid off," Suglo said. He believes learning Chinese has broadened his horizons, especially on world affairs. Having studied with Chinese students, he has also learnt a lot about their culture.

China has established many Confucius Institutes and Confucius Classrooms in Asia as well. There are 102 Confucius Institutes and 58 Confucius Classrooms today.

Thailand hosts 12 Confucius Institutes and 11 Confucius Classrooms, the most in Asia. The Confucius Institute at Khon Kaen University was launched in 2006, making it the oldest in the country.

"The school has become a benchmark Confucius Institute for Thailand and the rest of Asia," said Wang Guibin, Director of the Thai Confucius Institute.

According to Wang, his institute has the most students learning Chinese in Thailand. "This semester alone, more than 6,900 students registered," he told Beijing Review.

The institute is also committed to promoting Chinese culture among different groups in Thailand.

With a new building to open in December, the Confucius Institute at Khon Kaen University is set to become the largest in the world. "With the best facilities, I have confidence we will take our institute to a higher level in promoting cultural communications between the peoples of China and Thailand," Wang said.

The Confucius Institutes in Central Asia and Transcaucasia have also seen rapid development. According to Hanban, the number of registered students in the region stood at 24,000 in 2013, up 33.3 percent year on year.

Alina Molokova has been learning Chinese at the Confucius Institute in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, for three years. She now speaks fluent Chinese and has also taken up calligraphy. Like Molokova, other students regularly gather to practice what they say is the most difficult form of writing, but an intriguing one.

"Calligraphy is so interesting. I really love Chinese, and I hope to attend university in China," Molokova said.

"Students are interested in writing with a brush. We want them to have some interest in Chinese culture in general," Tashkent Confucius Institute teacher Tuo Jianming said.

With one side hoping to spread its cultural influence in the region and the other eager to learn about it, Confucius Institutes are welcomed in cities across the region.

Many students say as part of the former Soviet Union, they often put great emphasis on learning about Russia and other ex-Soviet bloc countries, while knowing little about the economic powerhouse just next door.

"When two peoples try to develop trade ties, mutual understanding between their cultures is crucial. Confucius Institutes help people learn the language for practical purposes," said Taissya Marmontova, an assistant professor with the Regional Studies Department of Eurasian National University in Kazakhstan.

Atuoda works for the ticketing department of China Southern Airlines in Bishkek. His Chinese impresses every customer. He learned it at the Confucius Institute at Bishkek Humanities University - and then his proficiency helped him land his job.