U.S. Educators from Northern California Visit Wuhan to Promote Educational and Cultural Ties

July 11, 2009:  Invited by San Mateo County Summer Institute, Consul General Lyle made remarks at Central China Normal University to welcome a group of 20 public school teachers from Northern California who came to Wuhan for a six-day program to learn about central China as part of the summer training program.  

Consul General Lyle addressed 20 visiting Bay-area American teachers at Central China Normal University

Consul General Lyle talked about the establishment of the new diplomatic post, its services and impact on building the relationships between the U.S. and central China.  She cited a list of successful outreach programs and welcomed the American teachers to come to central China.  She encouraged them to share their findings with their respective students to help promote mutual understanding between the future leaders of the U.S. and China.  She also took the opportunity to meet with President Ma Min of Central China Normal University to resolve housing issues concerning the university’s hosting its first U.S. Fulbright Scholar in August.

Bay Area Summer Institute Delegation leaders with Consul General Lyle and Central China Normal University President Ma Min

The Summer Institute, a three-week intensive program to train teachers about China, is sponsored by the San Mateo County Office of Education, the University of California Berkeley, and the Committee of 100.   During the first week, the participants learned about ancient and modern China by attending lectures by Bay Area faculty members from UC Berkeley, Stanford and other local institutions and spent time at UC Berkeley’s East Asian Library and the San Francisco Asian Art Museum.  During the second week, the participants visited Beijing, Xian, Chongqing, and Yichang, followed by six days of intensive training in Chinese culture at Wuhan’s Central China Normal University during the final week.  This is the third year the Summer Institute has been held in Wuhan at Central China Normal University. 

Consul General Lyle with Bay Area Summer Institute Delegation members and Chinese professors of Central China Normal University