Air China agrees to promote China-Brazil cultural exchange

Air China and Fundacao Armando Alvares Penteado signed a memorandum of understanding on Wednesday in Sao Paulo for their future cooperation in language training and cultural exchange.  From left to right: Tang Wenkai, president of Air China Sao Paulo Office, Victor Mirshawka, cultural director of FAAP, Antonio Bias Bueno Guillon, president director of FAAP.

To promote cultural exchange between China and Brazil, Air China signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Fundacao Armando Alvares Penteado (FAAP), one of Brazil's top universities in Sao Paulo.

The agreement includes a comprehensive plan for cooperation between FAAP's Business Confucius Institute (BCI) and Air China to provide language training, cultural activities and educational opportunities for Air China's employees and students of FAAP.

With the signing of the MOU on June 11, the two sides will launch a series of efforts mainly on cultural communication. Air China will provide discount tickets for FAAP's teachers and students' traveling to China and other support for FAAP's activities.

"This year is the 40th anniversary of the China-Brazil relationship and we want to take this chance to enhance the relationship between China and Brazil. Cooperating with FAAP is one of the best ways for us to reach this goal," said Tang Wenkai, president of Air China in Brazil.

FAAP's BCI was established in 2012 and is the only Confucius Institute specializing in business training in Brazil.

"The cooperation with Air China is very important for us because it is a good opportunity for us to contribute more to China-Brazil cultural exchange and make it easier for the Chinese to come to Brazil and vice versa," said Antonio Bias Bueno Guillon, the president and director of FAAP.

Guillon said cultural exchange between China and Brazil is very important because although most Brazilians know about China, their understanding of China's culture and people is still limited.

This is the second time that FAAP's BCI has cooperated with a Chinese company in Brazil. It established strategic cooperation with the Bank of China in 2012 to provide specific commercial training. In 2013, FAAP's BCI held 18 lectures and various cultural activities from Chinese cuisine and calligraphy to tea culture.

"FAAP's BCI aims at enhancing the communication between Chinese companies and local society through enhancing the cultural communications. We will continue to provide various commercial and cultural activities to help Chinese companies' further development in Brazil," said Xiang Jie, Chinese director of FAAP'S BCI.