A contestant performs a talent show during the 18th “Chinese Bridge“ Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign Secondary School Students in Slovenia in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on May 16, 2025. (Photo by Crt Piksi/Xinhua)

　　Chang Bo, second secretary for education at the Chinese embassy in Slovenia, praised the contestants for their eloquence and depth of preparation.

　　“What impressed me most was not just their language ability, but their confidence, their connection to Chinese culture, and the way they expressed it,“ he said, adding, “They are true cultural ambassadors.“

　　The competition was not limited to speeches. The talent segment brought Chinese culture to life through song, art, poetry, and martial arts. The audience swayed to the strings of a guitar playing the Chinese song, marveled at a brush painting of bamboo, and held their breath during a dazzling nunchaku performance.

　　“Each student brought something unique,“ said Ma Zhi, a teacher from the Confucius Institute Ljubljana.

　　“We saw strength in martial arts, elegance in painting, and beauty in music and poetry,“ Ma said, adding that this year's talent show “truly embodied the spirit of Chinese culture and also demonstrated the effectiveness and comprehensiveness of our teaching.“

　　“The language is tough for our students,“ said Nina Dacic, the Chinese teacher from Gimnazija Kranj, one of the largest general secondary schools in the country.

　　“But they are brave. And the more they learn, the more they want to understand the culture. That's the real success,“ she said.