On May 5, Gomel State Technical University was filled with an atmosphere of friendship and mutual understanding! On this day, the Center for Chinese Language and Culture hosted an international “Hour of Friendship”, dedicated to the national holiday of the People's Republic of China—Youth Day.

This holiday is celebrated on May 4 and is dedicated to the massive anti-imperialist movement known as the May Fourth Movement. On this day in 1919, a student protest demonstration took place in Beijing, leading to a broader national uprising after the decision was made not to return China's Shandong province, which had been occupied by Japan. Today, Youth Day in China is observed as the anniversary of the beginning of the patriotic May Fourth Movement.

On this day, youth rallies take place at Tiananmen Square, along with performances by creative groups. It was more than just an event—it was a true celebration of youth, energy, and the pursuit of knowledge, bringing together students of various nationalities and cultures: graduate students from the Faculty of Humanities and Economics from China, as well as Belarusian students.

Several distinguished university officials came to congratulate the Chinese students, including Grigory Valentinovich Petrishin, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, Marina Grigoryevna Gegedesh, Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, and Natalia Leonidovna Zhuravskaya, Head of the International Relations Department.

Chinese graduate students wrote congratulatory messages using traditional Chinese calligraphy techniques. They also watched a video highlighting the role of modern Chinese youth in the development of their country.

At the end of the event, G.V. Petrishin presented commemorative gifts—university-branded planners—to the Chinese graduate students and the event host, Sun Waize, a student of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. A group photo further strengthened the sense of unity among Chinese and Belarusian students.

Even after the official gathering, Chinese graduate students continued engaging in conversations, answering numerous questions from Belarusian students.

Special thanks were expressed to K.A. Zinkevichus, Senior Lecturer of the Department of Belarusian and Foreign Languages, and Marina Vladimirovna Burakova, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Energy for Ideological and Educational Work, for their assistance in organizing and conducting the event. The “Hour of Friendship” became a vivid example of how culture and education can unite people of different nationalities, fostering peace and mutual understanding.