Chinese Embassy awards Gambian Youth Designer in “My Astronaut Dream” painting competition
The Chinese Embassy in the Gambia has presented an award to Blessing John Aseweje, a Gambian youth designer, as the winner of “My Dream” painting competition.
As he emerged the winner of the competition, Asewejehas successfully joined other countries for the upcoming of “My Dream” painting competitions for African youth.
The awarding ceremony was held on Wednesday during an event for Gambian youth to connect to Chinese astronauts in Chinese Space Station, held the Chinese Embassy in Bijilo.
The occasion brought together competitors from the University of the Gambia, the University of Applied Science, Nusrat Senior Secondary School who were also awarded certificates for their brilliant paintings which exhibited their dreams which include being doctors, agriculturists, space engineering and accountants among others.
Other African nations that have been successfully shortlisted for the upcoming of “My Dream” painting competitions for African youth include Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mozambique, Malawi, Egypt, Chad, Comoros and Central African Republic among other nations.
Speaking at the ceremony, Liu Jin, Chinese Ambassador to the Gambia expressed his impressionwith the paintings made by the various participants which exhibited their intentions of being doctors, accountants, space engineers, teachers and scientists and so on.
He noted that the results of their dreams would not only benefit them as individuals, but also their families and the societies.
He urged them to focus and pursue their dreams to achieve their target goals. He advice the students to study Chinese language and work hard to have scholarship to study in China and return to develop their nations.
He said “it reminds me that my dream was to be a teacher, because my family was a large family and some of my relatives were teachers, so I developed the person for being a teacher, but I finally became a diplomat.”
However, he noted that he found out that there are similarities between teacher and a diplomat which is to communicate and make friends with others.
“It is my responsibility to contact these people from all works of lives to communicate with them to promote our bilateral relations,” he revealed.
He further revealed that the Chinese government and the Gambia government through the Ministry of Higher Education, Research Science and Technology have signed a memorandum of Understanding on TVET programs.
He said that “these are some of the things we need to do to promote our bilateral relations and promote our friendship. All our dreams is to promote bilateral relations.”
For his part, Blessing John Aseweje, the award winner thanked Ambassador Jin and his staff for the award and initiative which geared towards youth empowerment.He noted that it was privilege to present his painting which represented his dreams of exploring the verse universe.
He said the competitions have not only provided the platform for African youth to express their dreams but has also foster the culture of exchange between china and Africa.
