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2016 National Chinese Language Conference

Ambassadorship in Action

Students from Calmeca Academy of Fine Arts and Dual Language. (David Keith)
Walter Payton College Prepatory School students Clair Fuschi and Nicholas McGowan. (David Keith)
Students from Northside College Preparatory High School. (David Keith)
Chicago Deputy Mayor Steven Koch. (David Keith)
College Board President David Cole. (David Keith)
The opening plenary of the 2016 National Chinese Language Conference. (David Keith)
Asia Society President Josette Sheeran. (David Keith)
Director-General of Hanban Xu Lin. (David Keith)
Henry Knight and Wu Man play pipas. (David Keith)
Soprano Vocalist Juliet Petrus. (David Keith)
Attendees of the 2016 National Chinese Language Conference. (David Keith)
(L to R) Journalists Xiaohong Lv, Jeremy Goldkorn, Jiayang Fan, and Jonathan Landreth discuss the U.S. and China "telling each other's story." (David Keith)
(L to R) Martin Yan, Howie Southworth, Ian Cheney, and Monica Eng discuss Chinese food as a "cultural ambassador." (David Keith)
NCLC attendees gather around Martin Yan after his panel. (David Keith)
NCLC attendees toast during a lunch plenary session. (David Keith)
NCLC attendees watch one of the breakout sessions. (David Keith)
(L to R) John Thornton Jr., Juliet Petrus, Agata Nartowska, Alyssa Berkowitz, and Travis Tanner discuss using Mandarin to be an ambassador between people and cultures. (David Keith)
Asia Society's Jeff Wang (L) and College Board's Bob Davis look ahead to the 2017 National Chinese Language Conference in Houston. (David Keith)
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The ninth annual National Chinese Language Conference, held April 28–30, 2016, in Chicago, hosted 1,600 educators from across the U.S. and abroad. Chicago Deputy Mayor Steven Koch welcomed "this truly international event" back to the city after last hosting it eight years prior, and in a letter to the conference, Illinois Senator Mark Kirk emphasized that those who enable cross-cultural communication — like the many Mandarin instructors in the audience — are becoming more important as the world continues to globalize. "The U.S.-China relationship is the most important bilateral relationship of the 21st century," he wrote. "Encouraging strong ties among our young generation — through language — will ensure that this relationship grows and flourishes."

Over the three-day conference, four plenary sessions looked at how people working in very diverse fields help to serve as "cultural ambassadors." Pipa virtuoso Wu Man engaged the audience with her traditional Chinese compositions; reporters from outlets including The New Yorker and China Radio International discussed how the American and Chinese medias "tell each other's story;" culinary experts explained how food can serve as a gateway to a new culture; and accomplished Mandarin students talked about how language learning transformed their lives and helped them to connect people. The conference played host to nearly 100 sessions, workshops, school visits, and private events, as well as 43 exhibitors.

Read conference highlights or view the full set of photos. (Photos by David Keith/David Keith Photography)

Conference Coverage

  • A meal at a Chinese restaurant in Daly City, California. (Joanne Wan/Flickr)

    Chinese Food as a 'Cultural Ambassador'

    Culinary experts discuss how the evolution of Chinese food in America suggests a bridging and increased understanding between the two nations.
  • Students from Calmeca Academy of Fine Arts and Dual Language. (David Keith)

    2016 National Chinese Language Conference

    Highlights from the 9th annual convening in Chicago, IL.
  • Shuhan Wang speaks during NCLC 2016 (David Keith/Asia Society)
    resource
     /  China Learning Initiatives

    Conference Presentations: NCLC 2016

    CELIN presentations at the 2016 National Chinese Language Conference, which focus on the new series of CELIN Briefs and study abroad programs in grades 6-10.
  • Pipa virtuoso Wu Man plays with her student Henry Knight. (David Keith)

    2016 Conference Highlights

    Highlights from the 2016 National Chinese Language Conference, which took place in Chicago, IL, on April 28-30, 2016.
  • Howie Southworth slurps pork trotters with Chef Yang Jiaquan at the Qianhe Hotel in Qilin, Yunnan, China. (Howie Southworth)

    Bringing 'American Food' to the Streets of China

    "Sauced in Translation" host Howie Southworth discusses his food travels across China — where he soaks up local cuisine while whipping up American food for Chinese crowds.
  • Ma-po tofu. (Filipe Fortes/Flickr)

    How Chinese Food Became 'Hip'

    Andrew Coe, author of Chop Suey: A Cultural History of Chinese Food in the United States, discusses the evolution of American tastes for authentic Chinese cuisine, and why so many still find it alien.
  • Musician Wu Man holds her pipa. (Stephen Kahn)

    Wu Man: Playing the Pipa From Mao to Kung Fu Panda

    The acclaimed traditional Chinese musician discusses learning her craft amid the Cultural Revolution, and how she's sought to bridge cultures through music.
  • Asia 21 Summit 2016 Class Dinner Group Photo

    2016 NCLC Request for Proposals is Now Closed. Thank You!

    2016 NCLC Request for Proposals

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